The current status of Sonic the Hedgehog is vastly different from what it was ten years ago. Once a series frequently mocked and criticized, it has now returned to a popularity peak comparable to the 1990s. Takashi Iizuka, who became the de facto spokesperson for the series after key creators like Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara left Sega, reflects on the challenging years that led the franchise out of its slump.
In an interview, Iizuka admitted, “When I moved from Tokyo to Burbank ten years ago, the Sonic brand was in a bleak state. Many people were criticizing the series and expressing dissatisfaction with the games we released.”
He added, “We had to save the brand, or it might not have survived much longer.”
Looking back at 2015, Sonic had just endured a decade of poor reception: titles like Sonic Shuffle, Sonic ’06, Sonic Free Riders, and Sonic Boom frequently made headlines for their poor quality. Although there were some well-received games such as the Sonic Dash series, Sonic Colors, Sonic Generations, and the highly praised Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, the overall discourse around Sonic was predominantly negative.
Since then, the series has staged a comeback with beloved titles like Sonic Mania, the fan-supported Sonic Frontiers, and three blockbuster movies—the second of which became the second-ever video game adaptation to receive a “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Iizuka reflects on the past decade with amazement: “Some changes are simply unbelievable. We once fought for survival, and now the situation is completely different.”
The Sonic franchise continues to thrive with new developments, including a new international talent working on Sonic Origins, Paramount’s announcement of a new trailer for the Knuckles spin-off series, rumors of a Sonic Heroes remaster using Unreal Engine 5, and the 2024 Sonic World Tour concert featuring classic series music. Additionally, Sonic has collaborated with Peacekeeper Elite for new skin sets.
Genre: Action Publisher: Sega Release Date: 2022-06-23 (PC) Developer: Sega Languages: Simplified Chinese | English Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X Tags: Pixel graphics, side-scrolling, classic, childhood, jumping, fast-paced
