Sega Nearly Killed Sonic Before the Movies Revived the Franchise
Takashi Iizuka says the film’s surprise hit reversed Sega’s plans to cancel the franchise after weak game releases and online backlash over Sonic’s design.
- Sonic Team leader Takashi Iizuka revealed that Sega management considered cancelling the entire franchise before the first movie became a surprise success, earning $320 million and shifting the franchise's trajectory.
- During the series' lowest points, Iizuka fought to maintain the brand, stating, "There had been good times, and there had been bad times... during the worst times, I was told by the higher-ups that we should cancel the entire franchise."
- Sega also planned to kill off Shadow the Hedgehog character, but fan popularity forced the company to change its mind; Iizuka noted, "We were originally intending to just kind of 'die the character out'," before reviving him in Sonic Heroes.
- A fourth movie arrives next year and a new animated series will debut on Netflix, as Sega plans to release "some sort of media almost every year," Iizuka said.
- Iizuka says he has identified fan desire for "more emphasis on story," intending to create games prioritizing narrative elements in coming years to build on the franchise's renewed momentum.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Sega nearly killed Sonic before the movies revived the franchise
During a recent interview at the Tokyo Game Show, Sonic boss Takashi Iizuka recalled both the good and bad times. "During the worst times, I was told by the higher-ups that we should cancel the entire franchise. I had to fight within the organization to keep the franchise as long...Read Entire Article
Sonic the Hedgehog has been one of the most well-known characters in the video game world since 1991. But Sega of all times apparently thought about hiring the entire brand. This surprising revelation comes from Takashi Iizuka, who has been accompanying the series for decades and is now responsible for its further orientation as Sonic Creative Officer. During a media conversation in the context of the Tokyo Game [...]
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
