Video game publisher Five Star Games, who has served as the Australian distributor of SEGA games for some time now, has announced they are hosting a speedrunning competition in co-ordination with AusSpeedruns, titled the Sonic State of Origins Plus Clash, a play off the tri-annual competition between Queensland and New South Wales. This event is due to mark the 32nd birthday of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, as well as celebrating the release of Sonic Origins Plus, a collection of classic Sonic the Hedgehog titles.
The Sonic State of Origins Plus Clash competition will take place on 23 June 2023 at Fortress Sydney. It features top Sonic the Hedgehog speedrunners from Australia, who will represent their respective states and compete in a live event. The competition is also aimed at supporting a charitable cause, as all proceeds from the event will be donated to Cure Cancer, an Australian charity. Cure Cancer’s gaming initiative, Game On Cancer, focuses on rallying the gaming community to support early-stage cancer researchers in various areas of cancer research.
Ethan Levy, AusSpeedruns Coordinator, expressed enthusiasm for the competition:
AusSpeedruns is proud to partner with Five Star Games to put on this exciting new Sonic State of Origins Plus event for all Australians. We’ve got the fastest and most incredible Sonic the Hedgehog speedrunners in our community, and they’ll be going head-to-head on the 23rd of June in the arena; at the same time raising money for Game on Cancer, a wonderful cause!
The event is going to be simulcast across the /AusSpeedruns channel, enabling fans from all over the world to watch the speedrunning action live. Additionally, if you are fortunate enough to secure a seat, you can also opt to attend the in-person event yourself and support your state…. even if it feels a bit one-sided given the event is taking place in the heart of New South Wales.
The teams participating in the event are divided by states. Team Queensland will be wearing red jerseys and will have Knuckles as their mascot. The team includes speedrunners Raikou, Stylonide, and The8bitbeast. On the other side, Team New South Wales, wearing blue jerseys and represented by Sonic as their mascot, includes speedrunners Werster, 3Pills, and LaceyStripes. Furthermore, there is speculation that Sonic himself will make an appearance during the event.
Shane Bailey, Head of Gaming & Streaming at Cure Cancer, conveyed the organization’s appreciation for being chosen as the charity partner for the event:
We’re honoured to be partnered with AusSpeedruns as their charity of choice, and to see a new speedrunning competition come to Australia – from the original speedster himself, no less – is simply wonderful.
The competition will consist of eight events and is structured as a point-scoring competition designed by speedrunner and captain of Team Sonic, Werster. The team accumulating the most points by the end of the night will be declared the fastest in Australia and will be awarded the Sonic State of Origins Plus shield.
Darren Macbeth, Managing Director at Five Star Games, shared his anticipation for the event, saying:
The night is set to be a spectacular demonstration of Sonic’s true talent: Speed. We’re preparing so many delights for the crowd, including birthday cakes, jersey giveaways… and did I mention cake?
Tickets for the event are priced at $10 and can be purchased through Eventbrite until sold out. Before booking, do note the following terms and conditions:
- Unaccompanied minors are not permitted in the venue at any time. Please make sure any guests under 18 are accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.
- Minors are not allowed in the venue past 8:00pm
- Everyone must present a ticket, either pre-booked or booked on day
- No outside food or drinks
- Fortress Sydney is a licensed venue and as such ID is required and checked on entrance
