2024 has been yr for the Sonic IP, not solely due to the success loved by Sonic X Shadow Generations, but in addition as a result of we’ll quickly be getting the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film, starring Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog. 2023, nevertheless, was a distinct story, and Sega president president and COO Shuji Utsumi has spoken extra about that.
Particularly, in an interview with Eurogamer, when requested concerning the Sonic franchise’s inconsistency, Utsumi touched on the success of releases akin to Sonic Frontiers and Sonic X Shadow Generations, whereas additionally mentioning the comparative failure of the 2023 sidescrolling title Sonic Superstars, which he labelled a “disappointment”.
“We had been attempting to do one thing artistic with Sonic Frontiers,” he mentioned. “With Sonic Superstars it turned out to be a disappointment, when it comes to the end result in comparison with what we delivered. This time we’ve got Sonic X Shadow Generations and the following Sonic film, so we’re pushing issues within the transmedia course – motion pictures and video games working in concord to make issues greater. However the core [of the experience] is the sport. The sport must be superb or else there isn’t any transmedia impact.”
Not lengthy after the sidescrolling platformer’s launch final yr, Sega confirmed that the sport had acquired off to a slower-than-expected begin the place its gross sales had been involved, one thing the corporate would later go on to partially attribute to the sport releasing in shut proximity to fellow sidescrolling platformer Tremendous Mario Bros. Marvel.
As for what’s subsequent for the Sonic IP, at The Recreation Awards final week, Sega unveiled Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, the following instalment within the Sonic kart racing sequence.
