Two decades after his grand unveiling in London, ‌Sonic the Hedgehog is back. ‍Sega announced ‌Tuesday the restoration of⁢ the life-size⁤ Sonic statue, ‌which ​will be unveiled ⁢on Thursday at a fan festival in ⁢London’s Hyde Park.

In July 1998, ⁤Sega celebrated the launch of Sonic Adventure with the installation of the life-size Sonic statue in the ‌heart⁢ of London. But after several years of wind, rain, and grime, the statue had deteriorated ⁢to the point of no return.

Sega has now completely restored the beloved icon to its ​former glory. In partnership⁤ with an event management company, the company was able to track down ⁢the original designer,‍ Yuji Uekawa, who created the three-dimensional model ⁤used to cast the original statue in 1998. With that help, Sega was able to⁢ accurately recreate the design and faithfully restore the‍ statue.

The Sonic statue will be⁢ unveiled to the⁤ public at the ⁤fan festival⁣ on Thursday with an official celebration ceremony. During the event,⁣ fans of all ages will be able to see the beloved video game character and⁤ get their picture taken with‌ him. Musical ⁢acts, other‍ games, and‍ plenty of Sonic merchandise will be available⁣ for fans ⁤to enjoy.

Sega says they plan⁣ to move ⁤the Sonic statue to another permanent⁣ location in London soon. As Sonic celebrates⁤ his 19th year since first appearing in Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991, this restoration of an icon in ‍gaming ⁣history acts ⁢as a reminder of how gaming has‍ changed ‍over the years.