Press release: 2005-12-25: Sonic the Hedgehog Now Available On Your Verizon Wireless Mobile Phone

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: Sega Mobile (archived)

SAN FRANCISCO and BEDMINSTER, NJ – SEGA® of America, and Verizon Wireless, the nation’s leading wireless service provider, have announced today that the legendary and groundbreaking video game, Sonic The Hedgehog®, is now available for Verizon Wireless customers to download on select Get It Now®-enabled phones. Whether it’s your first time playing or you want to relive your glory days of video gaming, the mobile release of Sonic The Hedgehog is sure to satisfy.

Bill Stone, vice president of market segmentation for Verizon Wireless, noted "Sonic The Hedgehog is by far the killer app we have been waiting for from SEGA and showcases our commitment to bring the best video gaming experience to the market. The release of Sonic on Verizon Wireless Get It Now-enabled handsets marks a milestone in wireless mobile gaming and we are delighted to be the first North American wireless company to deliver this video game icon to our customers."

"When Sonic The Hedgehog first appeared on the SEGA Genesis® video game system 15 years ago, he quickly became an icon for a generation and changed the video game world forever," said Glenn Wissner, senior producer at SEGA Mobile, a division of SEGA of America. "Verizon Wireless’ Get It Now service is the first in North America to offer the Sonic experience; world-famous speed, snappy jumps, and iconic attitude."

Verizon Wireless Get It Now customers can purchase and download Sonic The Hedgehog from the getGAMES shopping aisle in the Get It Now virtual store for $3.49 monthly access or $7.99 for unlimited use purchase. Download charges for Get It Now applications vary and airtime charges apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications. Customers need a Get It Now-enabled phone and Verizon Wireless digital service to access the Get It Now virtual store.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About SEGA of America
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 Mobile
SEGA Mobile™, a division of SEGA® Corporation, has provided high quality mobile games across North America since 2002. A pioneer in wireless entertainment, SEGA Mobile™ continues to leverage its worldwide game development in Japan, Asia, Europe and the Americas to entertain mobile gamers everywhere. Visit www.segamobile.com for more information.

About SEGA
SEGA® Corporation is a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home, encompassing consumer business, amusement machine sales and amusement center operations. 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. Visit www.sega.com for more information.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation’s most reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Get It Now
Get It Now from Verizon Wireless puts a virtual software store inside a wireless phone and lets customers download applications over the air and purchase them directly from their phones. Virtual shopping aisles, including getGAMES, getTONES, getGOING, getPIX, getFUN and getMESSAGING, are organized to help customers find what they want, when they want it.

Get It Now is a registered trademark of Verizon Wireless.