Takashi Iizuka teases Sonic 35th surprises

Takashi Iizuka has given Sonic fans a little more to track through the rest of August and into the fall. In an interview published August 5, the Sonic Team head said Sega still has unrevealed plans tied to Sonic the Hedgehog’s 35th anniversary, even after a year that has already included game updates, merchandise and a birthday livestream recap from Sega. (pockettactics.com) The clearest new detail is not a product name or a release date. (pockettactics.com) It is Iizuka’s confirmation that Sega is still holding some announcements back. “Some announcements have already been made, while other surprises will need to remain secret for a little longer,” he told Pocket Tactics. (gamescom.global) That leaves fans with a familiar late-summer pattern: watch the event calendar, watch Sega’s official channels, and separate what Iizuka actually said from the speculation growing around Gamescom and other showcase season stops. (pockettactics.com) ### What exactly did Iizuka say? Takashi Iizuka told Pocket Tactics that Sega wants the 35th anniversary to “recognize every part of Sonic’s history while also looking ahead.” He said fans would see Sonic “through games, music, events, collaborations, merchandise, and other special projects” throughout the year. (pockettactics.com) The most quoted line from the interview was Iizuka’s warning that some plans are still under wraps. “I know that Sonic fans are extremely observant, so I must be careful not to provide any unintended clues,” he said. (pockettactics.com) ### Why are fans connecting this to late-summer events? Gamescom 2026 runs from August 26 to 30 in Cologne, with Gamescom week beginning August 24 and Opening Night Live set for August 25, according to the event’s official site. Sega is already listed among confirmed exhibitors on the Gamescom website. (pockettactics.com) That timing matters because Iizuka did not name a venue for the remaining reveals. In the absence of a date from Sega, fans and gaming outlets have pointed to the late-August and September event calendar as the next obvious window for announcements. (pockettactics.com) ### What has Sega already announced for the anniversary? Sega said in January that 2026 marks Sonic the Hedgehog’s 35th anniversary and launched a dedicated anniversary push. In July, Sega also published a recap of its Sonic birthday livestream, saying it had announced and released Sonic Frontiers - Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 that day and sharing other game-related updates. (gamescom.global) Sega’s broader anniversary activity has also included merchandise and in-game events. The Sega shop has a Sonic 35th anniversary merchandise collection, and Sega’s Sonic Rumble site ran a 35th Anniversary Event from June 10 to July 8 with themed rewards. (mynintendonews.com) ### Did Iizuka confirm a new game? Pocket Tactics did not cite Iizuka naming a specific unannounced game, platform or release date. His comments described categories of anniversary activity rather than a single headline reveal. (sega.com) That distinction is important because the reporting now in circulation supports only one firm point: more Sonic 35th announcements are planned. Anything beyond that — whether it is a game, a collaboration, a concert item or merchandise — remains unconfirmed unless Sega says so directly. (shop.sega.com) ### Where should fans watch next? Gamescom’s official schedule puts the next major public checkpoint on August 25 for Opening Night Live and August 26-30 for the main show in Cologne. Sega’s anniversary page and Sonic-related official channels remain the places where any 35th-anniversary announcements would be posted first. (pockettactics.com) (gamescom.global)