Sega of America Inc. Sega Europe Ltd, and Edmonton-based BioWare Corp. on Thurs. announced a partnership to create a new role-playing game based on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise for Nintendo Co.'s Nintendo DS handheld. The unnamed new offering is scheduled to debut in 2008.
"BioWare is one of the hottest names in RPG development in the world," said Simon Jeffery, President and COO, Sega of America, Inc. "Everyone at Sega has huge confidence that Sonic is in the safest of hands, and that BioWare can create the ultimate handheld RPG experience for gamers of all ages."
Bioware previously created Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire. It is currently in development on Mass Effect for Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360. "We're thrilled to be working with Sega on Sonic, one of the industry's most enduring and compelling icons," said Greg Zeschuk, president of BioWare. "As huge fans of Sonic ourselves, we're committed to delivering a truly amazing story-driven experience within the Sonic universe, focusing on capturing the character's broad appeal and placing him in a completely original adventure," added Ray Muzyka, chief executive officer of BioWare.
Sonic the Hedgehog debuted on the Sega Genesis in 1991. The iconic game character has appeared in merchandise, several cartoon series, comic books, and numerous video games since its introduction.
