Sonic the Hedgehog turns 35 on June 23, 2026, and Sega is marking the date with a dedicated birthday livestream packed with hosts, community guests, music, and gameplay. The broadcast streams on the official Sonic YouTube and Twitch channels, and it doubles as a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Quick answer: The Sonic birthday livestream starts June 23, 2026 at 9:30 AM PDT (12:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM BST). Watch it live at twitch.tv/sonic or on the Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube channel.
Release time: June 23, 2026 at 9:30 AM PDT / 12:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM UTC
Sonic birthday livestream start time by region
The stream goes live at a single moment worldwide. Use the table below to find the local time in your region.
| Region | Start time (June 23, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Pacific (PT) | 9:30 AM PDT |
| Eastern (ET) | 12:30 PM ET |
| UK (BST) | 5:30 PM BST |
| UTC | 4:30 PM |
Where to watch the Sonic 35th anniversary stream
You can tune in on either of Sonic’s official channels. Both carry the same broadcast, so pick whichever platform you prefer.
- Twitch: the official Sonic channel at twitch.tv/sonic.
- YouTube: the Sonic the Hedgehog channel.
You’ll know the stream is live when the channel switches from a countdown or offline screen to the broadcast itself at 9:30 AM PDT. If you only see a scheduled placeholder, the show hasn’t started yet.
Hosts and guests on the broadcast
Jacki Jing, GamesCage, and RogersBase are hosting the show. They’re joined by a wide lineup of community guests appearing throughout the celebration.
- MaeMaeTown, KennieAdventure, TreasureHuntingSonic, DawnSR, OkayLandy
- Emerldd, Loveretro, Emzberry, JadenBombastic, SamProcrastinates
- Sonic_1992, Smirky, Evan Stanley, Izzibell, Angelica Trae
What the livestream covers
Sega describes the broadcast as a mix of special guests, gameplay, activities, music, and more to celebrate 35 years of Sonic. The tone leans toward a birthday hangout, so treat it as a celebration first and a news showcase second.
Sega has also tempered expectations for major announcements, noting that it won’t be covering everything fans are waiting on. There may still be fun moments and surprises across the run, but it isn’t being positioned as a full Sonic news showcase.
On the gameplay side, Sonic Pico Park surfaced as a 2D puzzle take on the series during Summer Game Fest, and fresh Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds content would fit naturally into a birthday stream. A Nintendo Switch 2 version of Sonic Frontiers is also on fans’ wish lists, though a release of that scale may be saved for a separate showcase rather than this party.
St. Jude fundraiser during the stream
Alongside the birthday celebration, the broadcast raises money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. That gives viewers a way to support the cause while watching, and it’s a central part of the event rather than an afterthought.
The original Sonic the Hedgehog launched on the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive in 1991, which makes June 23, 2026 his official 35th birthday. Whether or not big game news shows up, the stream is built around the community on the day itself, so set a reminder for 9:30 AM PDT and pick your channel ahead of time.