SEGA ANNOUNCES SERIES PREMIERE FOR SONIC BOOM ON CARTOON NETWORK™ U.S. – NOVEMBER 8, 2014

Sonic Boom™ TV Series Joins Cartoon Network Saturday Morning Line-Up with Sonic’s First Ever CG-Animated Series

SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON (October 4, 2014) – In the midst of Sonic Boom, the biggest Sonic the Hedgehog™ fan event of the year, SEGA® took to the stage to announce that the iconic blue blur will race to Cartoon Network for the premiere of the Sonic Boom animated series on November 8, 2014. The action-packed comedy series, and the first CG-animated TV series for the franchise, is a key pillar of the multiplatform Sonic Boom™ initiative, the newest branch of the Sonic the Hedgehog universe that includes upcoming video games for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS platforms as well as a robust merchandise line anchored by master toy partner TOMY. The brand-new series includes eleven-minute episodes co-produced by SEGA® of America Inc. and OuiDO! Productions. The series premiere in the U.S. will be followed by debuts in France on Canal J on November 19th and on Gulli in spring 2015. The Middle East will launch spring 2015 with other territories to follow in fall 2015.

Sonic Boom provides an exciting mix of comedy and action, with each episode beginning with a small character-driven storyline that explodes into an epic tale of protecting the world, battling robot enemies, and more. The series focuses on Sonic and his friends Tails, Knuckles, Amy and newcomer Sticks, their never-ending search for adventure, and their battles with Sonic’s arch-nemesis, Dr. Eggman. The team’s adventures will bring them to locations both familiar and new as they explore and protect an all new Sonic universe!

“This is a new chapter in the Sonic story, and we are thrilled to debut Sonic Boom on Cartoon Network as part of the channel’s esteemed Saturday morning line-up,” said Hiroyuki Miyazaki, Chief Content Officer for the Sonic Brand, SEGA of America. “This project has been a collaborative and extensive effort between SEGA of America and OuiDO! Productions, and we cannot wait to speed ahead to November when a new generation of children will embark on the latest adventures with Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Sticks…and the evil Dr. Eggman.”

Executive producers on the Sonic Boom TV series are Evan Baily, Donna Friedman Meir and Jane McGregor on behalf of SEGA, and Sandrine Nguyen and Boris Hertzog from OuiDO!. Bill Freiberger is Co-Executive Producer. Other partners involved in the TV series include Lagardère Entertainment Rights for distribution for TV and Video and Lagardère Active TV Licensing & New Business for licensing and merchandise in France.

Sonic the Hedgehog first appeared as a videogame character in June 1991 and instantly became an icon for a generation of gamers. Defined by his super-fast speed and cool attitude, in the years since he first raced on to videogame consoles Sonic has become a true global phenomenon with over 140 million videogames sold or downloaded worldwide across consoles, PC’s, mobile phones and tablets. SEGA’s iconic blue blur has also gone on to enjoy incredible success in many licensed areas, such as toys, apparel, comics and animation.

The Sonic Boom event was held at the Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom in New York City on Saturday, October 4, as part of the inaugural New York Super Week.

About Sonic Boom
The Sonic Boom TV series is a co-production between SEGA of America, Inc. and OuiDO! Productions. Executive producers are Evan Baily, Donna Friedman Meir and Jane McGregor on behalf of SEGA, and Sandrine Nguyen and Boris Hertzog on behalf of OuiDO! Productions. Baily and Co-Executive Producer Bill Freiberger are showrunners. Takashi Iizuka, the head of Sonic Team and driving creative force behind the Sonic games, is overseeing the series to ensure that it’s true to the Sonic characters and universe.

About SEGA® of America, Inc.:
SEGA® of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA® Corporation, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. SEGA® of America’s Web site is located at www.sega.com

About SEGA® Europe Ltd.:
SEGA® Europe Ltd. is the European Distribution arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA® Corporation, and a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. SEGA® Europe’s web site is located at www.sega.com

About OuiDO! Productions:
Headed by Sandrine Nguyen and Boris Hertzog, OuiDO! Productions produces animation TV Series adapted from national and international well-known licences such as: “ALVINNN!!! AND THE CHIPMUNKS” (52 x 13′) for M6; co-produced by Bagdasarian Productions ; “Sonic Boom” (52 x 13′) for Gulli/Canal J and Cartoon Network (USA), co-produced by SEGA® ; “Mini Wolf”, season 2 (52 x 7′) for France Télévision.

OuiDO! Productions also develops with TF1 and Canal J a TV Series based on the comic books published by Editions Delcourt, “The Legendaires” (26 x 22′) and intends to keep on acquiring the audiovisual adaptation rights for existing licences and original properties.

About GULLI/CANAL J:
As France’s leading free youth and family channel, GULLI, operated by Lagardère Active and France Télévisions, draws an audience of both children and parents, with 6 million viewers daily. Since 2010, GULLI is France’s best known channel in its category. Today, in addition to the television channel, GULLI is a true family entertainment platform available on a wide variety of media, including digital (gulli.fr, GULLI Replay, connected TV applications, tablets and mobile phones, iTunes, etc.), with a full audio range, magazines, toys and field events. (Source: Mediamat/Mediametrie, annuel 2012)
CANAL J, the channel aimed at 8 to 12 years old, operated by Lagardère Active, confirms the wealth and diversity of its programming featuring animated series, comedy series and original shows based on the channel’s two mainstays: adventure and humour. CANAL J keeps a close eye on what’s happening on the playground, continues to reflect the key aspects of children’s lives.