With speculation running riot over the last few days, the culmination of an enormous community challenge over various social networking sites has concluded with Sega finally announcing the official title for Project Needlemouse. Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 was unveiled on the Sega blog early this morning alongside the official website launch for the upcoming title.

Included in the announcement was a trailer that incorporated a brief history of the series as well as some footage of the upcoming game showcasing the first zone.

Scheduled for release this Summer as a direct download for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 has been described as a direct sequel to the classic Sega Genesis title Sonic and Knuckles. Early fan reaction suggests that there may be some division about the implied continuation of the title through Episodes, and that this may not be a fully fledged Sonic experience that many were praying for. But in an interview with Gamespot, Sega associate brand manager Ken Balough stated that the game would be packed with features including leaderboards for gamers to compare speed runs against one another, as well as motion controls to keep fans old and new hooked on the game.

SOURCE: Sega Blog