The blue hedgehog to make his next-gen console debut in 2006...

SEGA has today confirmed that Sonic the Hedgehog will be making his way onto Xbox 360 and PlayStation3 to coincide with the 15th anniversary of his first appearance, in 2006. The announcement comes just weeks after Sonic Team head Yuji Naka spoke about the project at the Leipzig Games Convention.

Described as a reinvention of the franchise, Sonic the Hedgehog on the next-gen consoles aims to “…create the most intense sensation of speed ever seen in a videogame” though little information beyond that has been released.

"Sonic The Hedgehog represents the most recognizable example of classic SEGA properties that we will recreate for the PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360," said Naoya Tsurumi, CEO of SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe Ltd. "When Sonic The Hedgehog debuted on the SEGA Genesis in 1991, he reinvented the action-platform genre with speed and attitude. By harnessing the power of these new platforms, we are confident that Sonic will once again raise the bar for action gaming in 2006 and beyond."

"We are proud to re-create our famous friend, Sonic, for a new generation of gamers on PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360," said Yuji Naka, R&D Creative Officer, SEGA Corporation. "With Sonic The Hedgehog, we have gone back to our starting point, more than 15-years ago, to reinvent the attitude and speed that made our hero a legend. The 'rebirth of Sonic' will offer an unparalleled sense of speed that is only possible using the processing power afforded by the new systems."

The news is sure to get many gamers across the world extremely excited with the blue hedgehog one of the biggest icons in videogames ever. We will be keeping an eye out for more news on Sonic’s next-gen appearance in the coming weeks and months!