Sonic the Hedgehog at 35: Sega's mascot keeps winning new fans

Sega's mascot Sonic the Hedgehog, celebrating his 35th anniversary, will expand with new video games and a fourth film in 2027, continuing to attract a broad audience despite a different trajectory than rival Mario. Created in 1991 as Sega's answer to Nintendo's Mario, Sonic was designed to embody the speed of Sega's consoles. After Sega exited the console market in 2001, the brand grew by publishing games across multiple platforms, including Nintendo consoles and online games like Roblox. The franchise has generated over one billion dollars from its first three films, with Sonic 4 arriving next spring. While Sonic games still sell millions, Sega now also relies on other popular franchises like Persona and Yakuza.