When you think of iconic gaming franchises, Sonic the Hedgehog is undoubtedly one of the ones to first come up. The Blue Blur had become Sega’s mascot for years and headlined multiple hit titles. From the superb Sonic Adventure to the nostalgic Sonic Generations, there was seemingly no stopping Sonic. However, there was a dark time in the franchise’s life that, had things gone differently, according to the series lead, would’ve ended Sonic games for good.
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In an interview with One More Game, franchise lead Takashi Iizuka chatted with the outlet about the series’ 35th anniversary. Alongside talks about the future of the franchise, Iizuka reflected on some of the ups and downs for Sonic, in particular one dark moment. He mentioned that, at some point, the higher-ups suggested that the iconic series should be cancelled.
“There had been good times, and there had been bad times,” says Iizuka. “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.”
Luckily, it wouldn’t be the end, as, for Iizuka, the first live-action film, released in 2020, showcased that there is, indeed, an audience for Sonic the Hedgehog. A film that, when revealed, was obliterated online for Sonic’s uncanny design, saw a delay and many changes to the art direction. Fortunately, what came out of it was something that reignited the flame for many fans and Sega.
“The biggest milestone for me was the first movie,” says Iizuka in the interview. “That had been a great hit and definitely changed the course of this franchise.”
Fortunately, since then, the film franchise has had two sequels, with another coming in 2027 starring Amy Rose, and continues to make it big at the box office. Meanwhile, while its gaming output hasn’t been as fast and furious as it used to, titles like Sonic Frontiers and Sonic x Shadow Generations showed that there is still a lot more left for the Blue Blur.
What’s Next for Sonic the Hedgehog?
While the interview with Takashi Iizuka didn’t reveal a ton about what lies ahead for Sonic the Hedgehog, it did give some insight as to what we may expect. For Iizuka, story is a driving force for him and the team, as they hope to put more emphasis on it in the future. Interestingly enough, he does mention that they want both modern 3D Sonic and classic 2D Sonic to have new experiences, hinting that we may see both new 3D and 2D titles.
Unfortunately, we don’t yet have exact confirmation on what Sega and the team are working on next for Sonic the Hedgehog, gaming-wise. On the entertainment side, a fourth film is currently slated for March 19th, 2027, along with a recently announced animated show aimed at kids. Still, seeing as it’s the 35th anniversary, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a new Sonic game confirmed by the end of the year.
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Courtesy of Kojima Productions
