The Producer of Sega’s Sonic series has expressed his desire to create games aligned with other media projects.
Speaking during a Tokyo Game Show 2023 panel consisting of representatives from Sega, Capcom, and Square Enix, Sonic Producer Takashi Iizuka stated that he wanted to coincide game releases with other media projects. He mentioned that, previously, one development team would finish work on a game, think of what to work on next, and then move on.
Iizuka stated that development teams are now planning their games to line up with other Sonic productions outside of games, such as movies and TV shows, and schedule their releases to coincide with these media projects. The Sonic Producer also shared that, towards the end of Sonic Frontiers’ development, the development team wanted to continue working on the game and add more content. As a result, Iizuka decided to let the team work on 3 free content updates.
The latest entry in the Sonic series, Sonic Superstars, is an upcoming platformer developed by Arzest and Sonic Team and published by Sega. It features side-scrolling gameplay reminiscent of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games that graced the Sega Genesis during the 1990s. Players can assume the roles of four iconic characters: Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles “Tails” Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, and Amy Rose. Together, they venture through side-scrolling levels, embarking on a mission to defeat the nefarious Doctor Eggman and Fang the Sniper. Adding a new twist, Superstars introduces power-ups that can be acquired by collecting the coveted Chaos Emeralds.
Takashi Iizuka had expressed his desire to rejuvenate Sonic’s traditional side-scrolling formula, allowing it to thrive independently from the 3D games. While initial plans for a collaboration with the developers of Sonic Mania (2017) did not come to fruition, Iizuka initiated discussions with Arzest, a studio founded by Naoto Ohshima, the co-creator of Sonic. This collaboration marks Ohshima’s return to the Sonic franchise since his involvement in Sonic Adventure (1998). Arzest aims to capture the essence of the beloved Genesis Sonic gameplay while incorporating new game mechanics.
