Iconic Blue Blur Garners Most Online Votes From Public During Milestone 25th Anniversary Year
Sonic the Hedgehog has sprinted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame. The iconic character, who is celebrating his 25th anniversary, was inducted into the renowned The Strong’s World Video Game Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York today taking his place among other gaming icons including Pac-Man and Super Mario Bros. Sonic was selected by a committee of journalists and scholars from a field of 15 finalists that also included - Elite, Final Fantasy, Grand Theft Auto III, John Madden Football, The Legend of Zelda, Minecraft, Nürburgring, The Oregon Trail, Pokémon Red and Green, Sid Meier’s Civilization, The Sims, Space Invaders, Street Fighter II, and Tomb Raider. The character received the most votes from the public in online polling of nominees with 32 percent of the vote. The World Video Game Hall of Fame celebrates electronic games that meet the following criteria: icon-status, longevity, geographical reach and influence.
Created in 1991 by SEGA, Sonic The Hedgehog is one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time with upwards of 350 million units sold or downloaded across multiple platforms, a top-rated animated television series entitled Sonic Boom, and an upcoming film in development.
The induction into the World Video Game Hall of Fame comes during the landmark 25th anniversary of the long-running franchise. To further honor this milestone year, SEGA will release Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice this fall and give fans the ultimate celebration during an exclusive Sonic fan event at San Diego Comic Con that will feature live performances and limited edition merchandise. A range of anniversary products will also be available at retail led by master toy partner TOMY among others.
“Everyone at SEGA is extremely grateful to both the Strong Museum as well as all the fans who voted for their favorite hedgehog,” said Ivo Gerscovich, Chief Brand Officer & SVP of SEGA of America. “This is a fantastic capstone to a milestone anniversary year and only the beginning of some great things to come for Sonic.”
