# Celebratory Gamer Sneakers These Sonic the Hedgehog Slip-Ons Celebrate the Game's 26th Birthday By Mary Van Puymbroeck | Published 2017-06-27 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sonic-the-hedgehog-slipons References: [highsnobiety](http://www.highsnobiety.com/2017/06/26/sonic-the-hedgehog-red-sneakers/) & [anippon.jp](https://anippon.jp/item/detail?item_code=ASC3110&color_code=15) These Sonic the Hedgehog slip-ons were created to celebrate the gaming franchise's 26th birthday. Made to match Sonic's own shoes, these all leather red slide-on sneakers went on sale on June 23rd and are already sold out. These sneakers feature a white leather strap across the top of the shoe and a gold buckle detailing, just like character has on his shoes. The shoes also have matching red embroidery with the words 'Sonic the Hedgehog' on the heel and an all-white sole. Retailing for around $63 with a special limited edition box, these Sonic the Hedgehog slides were created as a collaboration between Anippon and the games creators, Sega. Launching limited edition and celebratory merchandise is a great way to get fans involved and generate buzz around a brand. Fans can also start getting excited for the game 'Sonic Mania,' which will be available for [Nintendo](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/split-pad-pro) Switch, [Xbox One](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/disney-speedstorm-1), [PlayStation 4](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jason-voorhees-multiversus) and PC on August 15th. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.6/10 - Popularity: 24% | Activity: 17% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Limited Edition Merchandise:** Creating limited edition merchandise is a disruptive innovation opportunity to engage fans and generate buzz around a brand. - **Celebratory Collaborations:** Collaborating with partners to create celebratory products is a disruptive innovation opportunity to commemorate milestones and engage fans. - **Gaming Merchandise:** The popularity of gaming creates an opportunity to develop merchandise that caters to gamers and fans. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Fashion Retail:** The fashion retail industry can capitalize on the trend of limited edition merchandise by partnering with popular brands and franchises to create exclusive products. - **Gaming:** The gaming industry can explore celebratory collaborations with fashion brands to create unique merchandise that appeals to gamers and fans. - **Entertainment:** The entertainment industry can leverage the popularity of gaming franchises by launching limited edition merchandise and partnering with brands to engage their audience. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Video Game-Inspired Summer Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shadow-classic-clog.md) - [Game Icon Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/timberland-x-sonic.md) - [Video Game Console Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nike-air-snes.md) - [Game Console Sneaker Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/playstationinspired-sneaker.md) - [Artistic Game-Inspired Figures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/louis-de-guzman-1.md) - [Gamer Heritage Boots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/timberland-x-sega.md) - [Video Game-Themed Food Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/general-mills-sonic-the-hedgehog.md) - [Nostalgic Video Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sonic-origins.md) - [Villain-Centric Collaboration Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tekken-8.md)