Sega has once again planned an exciting day for Sonic the Hedgehog fans on June 23. There's no better day for the series to make notable, as June 23 marks the franchise's 32nd anniversary, and it's also recognized as Sonic's birthday in canon. In previous years, not much happened on this special day beyond some social media posts and cute videos from Sega's numerous branches unless the anniversary was something particularly memorable. Now, for the third year in a row, there are poignant releases on that day specifically.
A few important games have released on June 23 in the past, such as Sonic Adventure 2 being released on that day in Japan and Europe in 2001, and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing being made available for iOS devices on this date in 2011. In 2021, a 30th anniversary symphony concert was broadcast for free on YouTube, and last year, Sonic Origins released worldwide. Now, this upcoming June 23, more Classic Sonic content is coming with some surprises for Sonic Frontiers.
The Offerings of Sonic Origins Plus
On June 23, Sonic Origins Plus will not only be available on digital storefronts, but also on store shelves as the compilation will be released physically. Origins Plus works in the same fashion that Sonic Mania Plus did; offering fans the chance to expand their game with the Plus content for a smaller fee, or allowing fans to purchase the game as one whole package with the new content attached. Of course, Mania Plus bringing back Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel is rather hard to beat, but Origins Plus is making one important character playable.
Amy Rose will be available to play as for the first time in Sonic 1, 2, CD, and Sonic 3 & Knucklesonce Origins Plus releases worldwide. The playability options will be made fair across all of Sonic Origins' main cast members, as Knuckles the Echidna will be made playable in Sonic CD with his own dedicated route. Origins Plus will also expand the collection's lineup of games by adding 12 Game Gear titles like Tails' Sky Patrol, Tails Adventures, and the 8-bit versions of Sonic 1 and 2, among others.
Sonic Frontiers' Birthday Bash
For the Sonic the Hedgehog fans who prefer more recent games, Sonic Frontiers is getting two more DLC updates this year. While players got the first content wave back in March, it seems they won't have to wait much longer for the second batch of DLC to drop. On the 2023 content roadmap for Frontiers' updates, the second wave is said to contain features dealing with Sonic's birthday. Nothing is known for sure as to what these birthday features are, but they're sure to make the otherwise mysterious and somber game feel like a proper party once the update goes live.
It's tricky to say as to when the second update for Sonic Frontiers will drop for sure, as there are numerous reasons as to why the update may come out earlier than June 23. There's approval processes that the update needs to be run through across every platform that the game is on, and some digital gaming storefronts don't update outside of specific business days. If it doesn't come out on June 23 itself, players can likely expect it a few days before as a result.
No matter what happens, June 23 will be a day to excite many Sonic fans just as the last two years have. There's likely still going to be a few fun birthday surprises on social media or the official Japanese Sonic Channel website as well as what Frontiers and Origins Plus will bring to players. However, Sonic the Hedgehog fans can expect to celebrate in completely new ways thanks to Frontiers' DLC and Classic Amy's newfound playable status.