Sega has announced that it will be hosting a special session at the upcoming Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026, commemorating the 35th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Titled “The Sonic Effect: How Japan’s Fandom Culture Elevates Playful Worlds,” the 30-minute session will take place on June 26th at The Forum, Rotonde, inside the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. It will begin at 11:15 am local time (2:15 a.m. PT / 5:15 a.m. ET / 10:15 a.m. BT).
This will mark the first time that a Japanese game company has hosted an official session at the festival, which celebrates global excellence in advertising, marketing, and communications.
The session will be hosted by Sega President and COO Shūji Utsumi, and head of Sonic Team Takashi Iizuka.
“In this session, we explore how brands build global fandom through playfulness, storytelling and cultural resonance – offering actionable insights for marketers and creators,” the official Cannes listing reads.
Sonic the Hedgehog’s 35th anniversary is on June 23rd, 2026. A full reveal of Jersey Jack Pinball’s upcoming Sonic machine is planned for this date, and a life-sized statue containing “Sonic’s DNA” will go on display at the Tokyo Sega Store on the Blue Blur’s birthday.
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Written by Reece Heather
A veteran Zelda Universe editor and First-class journalism graduate, Reece emerged with a Nintendo 64 and a lifelong obsession after a narrow escape from Santa’s Naughty List in 1998. Outside of games, he’s reading Punisher comics, being bossed around by his cocker spaniel, and cornering innocent bystanders to rant about the importance of game preservation.
