Since 2004, the friendly face of Sonic the Hedgehog has gazed down on the M4 motorway in Brentford, West London, thanks to the fact that it's attached to the building that has served as Sega Europe's home for over two decades.
While the company has occupied several sites in the United Kingdom, 27 Great West Road has to rank as one of the most iconic. It has been Sega Europe's office pretty much since Sega became a third-party publisher at the turn of the millennium, and several members of the Hookshot Media team have fond memories of attending preview events in the building.
However, the sale of the office has forced Sega Europe to relocate to new pastures, thanks to the owners deciding to sell it back in 2020 (thanks, Last Minute Continue).
It is understood that the plan is to demolish the current structure and redevelop the land as housing. The area's value has risen in recent years thanks to its very close proximity to Brentford Football Club's Gtech Community Stadium.
Sega Europe will be moving to the nearby Chiswick Business Park, taking up 21,000 sq ft of space in Building 12 (thanks, Chiswick Calendar).
If you're wondering why we're getting to this news so late, it's because... well, we simply weren't aware it was happening until Sega staffer Simon Crowley posted about it on LinkedIn. Ahem.
Did you ever get the chance to visit Sega's iconic office? Perhaps you have fond memories of driving by it and seeing Sonic's smiling face? How do you feel knowing that those deep, dreamy eyes will no longer be watching you on your way down the M4?
Let us know with a comment.