Nex and SEGA® Announce Collaboration to Unleash Sonic Speed on Nex Playground in Q4 2026

Families Prepare to Go Faster with Sonic Forces™ (Working Title), Bringing Motion-Based Racing to Nex Playground

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nex, maker of Nex Playground, the active play system that gets families moving together, and SEGA, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment, will bring Sonic Forces (Working Title) to the console later this year. Driven by strong demand from the Nex Playground community, this upcoming title introduces Sonic the Hedgehog™ to the platform in celebration of the franchise’s 35^th anniversary, honoring one of gaming’s most beloved and internationally recognized characters and his enduring legacy with fans around the world.

This partnership marks a significant moment for Nex Playground, building on milestone momentum for the platform this year, including international expansion to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, and being named one of TIME100’s Most Influential Companies.

"The introduction of a globally recognized character such as Sonic the Hedgehog to Nex Playground represents a significant achievement for our community; it further advances our mission to connect families and friends through active play while ensuring the continuous delivery of fresh content," said David Lee, CEO and Co-Founder of Nex. "Sonic Forces (Working Title) translates the popular mobile title of the franchise into a truly physical experience, giving families a new way to move and play together.”

"Sonic the Hedgehog is a widely loved character, and this partnership with Nex Playground is a natural extension that brings the franchise's core values of speed and fun into the active play category. The team at HARDlight Studios is leveraging their deep expertise to deliver an incredibly engaging experience with Sonic Forces (Working Title), offering a fantastic new way for families to connect with the Blue Blur." – Takashi Iizuka, Sonic Creative Officer at SEGA of America.

Sonic Forces (Working Title) reimagines the iconic running and action gameplay generations of players know and love, offering an endlessly replayable, physically active experience on the platform. Sonic Forces (Working Title) is being built by SEGA's HARDlight Studios, the acclaimed team behind globally successful Sonic mobile titles including Sonic Dream Team™, Sonic Dash™, and Sonic Forces. HARDlight brings deep expertise in delivering polished, accessible Sonic gameplay to millions of players, now adapted and reimagined for the Nex Playground platform.

The game is currently in development and will be available later this year on Nex Playground through Play Pass, Nex Playground’s content subscription. Play Pass is sold separately and offers over 60+ active games, from sports, dance, fitness, and educational experiences. The Play Pass can be added at any time. To learn more, visit nexplayground.com.

This week, shoppers can take advantage of Nex Playground’s Prime Day deal. Starting June 23rd, shoppers can get 20% off the Nex Playground unit on Amazon - starting at $239 (MSRP $299). This deal is also available at Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and Sam’s Club. During the promotion period, Prime members will also get 20% off an exclusive 3-in-1 bundle (includes the Nex Playground, Travel Case, and a 12-month Play Pass subscription), bringing the price down to $330 (MSRP $412).

About Nex
Nex is on a mission to connect families and friends through active play. Created by parents for parents, Nex combines technology and play to deliver fun, social, and interactive experiences powered by natural body motion. Its award-winning active play system, Nex Playground, is the only controller-free console built specifically for kids and families with safety and privacy at the core of its design. Nex Playground is kidSAFE+ COPPA compliant and a member of the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) in the U.S. In the U.K., Nex Playground aligns with GDPR requirements, earning PEGI 3 age ratings on the included starter bundle. Motion-tracking data and processing stay local to the device, and every system includes a built-in camera cover.

Nex Playground with Play Pass features a growing library of 60+ active games, from sports to dance, fitness and educational experiences, including Nex Originals and collaborations with partners such as Paramount, Hasbro, Sesame Workshop, and NBCUniversal. Nex has been recognized by Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, TIME’s Best Inventions, and Parents’ Best Entertainment System for Families, and has earned Red Dot, IDEA, and Core77 international design awards.

Nex Playground is available at Amazon, Best Buy®, Target®, Walmart®, and Sam’s Club® online and select retail stores in the U.S. and Canada, and will be available in the U.K. and Republic of Ireland later this summer. To learn more, visit nex.inc or follow the company on Instagram and Facebook.

About SEGA
SEGA CORPORATION is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and is a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment. The company develops, publishes, and distributes a variety of games for consoles, PCs, and wireless devices as well as character products, and various other products. Moreover, SEGA distributes a range of gaming content developed by its domestic and overseas studios worldwide via its global publishing bases. SEGA is leveraging its own IP to accelerate the development and commercialization of its IP not only in games but also in various other media, thereby dramatically increasing the value of its IP. SEGA is positioning transmedia as an important strategy for providing new content to users around the world.

SEGA CORPORATION's website is located at https://www.sega.co.jp/

©SEGA. All rights reserved. SEGA is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. SEGA, the SEGA logo, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG and SONIC FORCES are registered trademarks or trademarks of SEGA CORPORATION.