Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most beloved icons in gaming, but lead producer Takashi Iizuka says that Sega once considered ending the video game series. Starting life on the Sega Genesis in 1991, Sonic the Hedgehog quickly became the company mascot. In the decades since the original game, Sonic has starred in sequels, spin-offs, cartoons, live-action movies, comic books, and more.
The 35th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog is this year, and Sega has been celebrating the occasion in multiple ways. Sonic Pico Park is set to be released in November, while Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds continues to see support more than a year after its launch. The racing game failed to meet Sega’s sales expectations, but the developers continue to support it through the release of free and paid content.
Sega’s Attempt to Cancel Sonic the Hedgehog
During a press pool at Tokyo Game Show, Takashi Iizuka discussed the anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog, and some of the challenges throughout the last 35 years. Sonic has had a huge impact on gaming, but there was a point where executives at Sega apparently considered canceling the series altogether. Iizuka did not go into specific details about these discussions, but the producer claims that he had to fight to keep the series alive.
“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. I had to fight within the organization to keep the franchise as long as possible.”
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This is not the first time that Iizuka has claimed that Sega considered ending the series. Earlier this year, Iizuka said that he was specifically tasked with improving the quality of Sonic video games to keep the company from ending the series altogether. Those efforts have clearly paid off, as the last decade has seen the company put a greater emphasis on quality. Games like Sonic Mania, Sonic x Shadow Generations, and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds have all released to positive reviews, in stark contrast to critical failures like Sonic Lost World and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric. As part of its efforts to improve the character’s perception, Sega even delisted several underwhelming games from digital storefronts.
The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is arguably at its strongest point ever. The Sonic movies have seen huge success at the box office, and their popularity has helped the character reach a new generation of fans. Iizuka went on to say that the first Sonic movie “definitely changed the course of this franchise.” A fourth Sonic the Hedgehog movie is now in the works, and will be released in theaters on March 19, 2027. Sega even seems eager to replicate this success, as games like Streets of Rage and Crazy Taxi now have movies in development.
It’s unthinkable now that Sega would have ever considered ending the Sonic franchise. The blue blur has had a huge renaissance, and it could help to drive the character’s popularity for decades to come. Fans spent a lot of years disappointed by the state of the series, but things seem to be looking up. Sega has not offered details about its plans for the franchise beyond 2026. However, with a major new movie set to arrive in theaters, it’s safe to imagine the next Sonic video game won’t be far behind.
Source: One More Game
