Sega and Sonic in the future

[ZeroAX]

Just wanted to share this mini interview, with a Sega exec about sonic.

http://kotaku.com/5336675/sega-impossib ... sonic-game


can anyone understand a thing he's saying? Either Sega is preparing something big, for us old school sonic fans, or it has given up on pleasing us, and the poor guy is trying to give the news to us, in a slow, king way.

[JordanPlayer]

To me it sounds like they are somewhat re-focusing on trying to get back into good graces with the older Sonic fans that have been put off with the newer games. This quote: "...but the general strategy is to make core Sonic games pretty much every other year, "character derivative" games between those and, on occasion, off-shoots that involve Sonic doing new physical activities such as playing tennis, skateboarding (as in Sonic Riders), or racing cars, as in the upcoming Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing."
It sounds like they are going to be flip-flopping year after year with making a game for older fans, then the next year releasing one for younger fans while having the random sports games come out. This sounds like good news to me, god knows how long it has been since I bought a Sonic game.

[Dylan]

The problem here is that Sega is releasing Sonic games yearly. They need to slow things down and put a lot more time and effort into their games.

[weasels]

while their plan is reasonable, i can't get past the whole "we need to focus on kids and we can't please all" thing. they state its imposible to appeal to all but thats wrong. back in the day sonic games appealed to all kids, teens and adults. i mean look at the mario games today they mostly appeal to all. and even the sonic advanced games (which in my opinion were great) are fun for all. unleashed would have been great if they didn't have the warehog thing. they need to stop putting out goofy gimmicks in their games. and they really need to work on quality controls which they seem to mention anyways. we all have a long history with sega and its no doubt they can save themselves. just got to hope.

[HellHammer]

The problem here is that Sega is releasing Sonic games yearly. They need to slow things down and put a lot more time and effort into their games.

I just got done ranting about this on GoNintendo. I'm lazy so I'll just copy/paste my rage:

"Trying to put everything into one game and making everybody happy is impossible."
Which is why Unleashed was so torn. You admit this, yet each half of Unleashed was for a different group of Sonic fans, and was pretty much marketed as such.

"[The 2006 game] Sonic the Hedgehog sells extremely well at a budget price. So clearly it's very popular with a young audience."
Sorry? It's very clear that parents of this 'young audience' like budget prices.

"It's just got to be quality that's appropriate for them."
Low quality is appropriate, apparently...?

"Then we've got our core fans, and what we need to do is now and then produce a Sonic that will appeal to those fans specifically."
No. Someone needs to step in and ask why a character that used to rival Mario Bros. is getting the 'now and then' treatment. I think the majority of the problem is with the sheer amount of mediocre Sonic games coming out. Stop pumping out disc after disc of sub par quality Sonic titles and put all your focus on just one, you might have a higher chance of making a GREAT Sonic title and regain some of the 'core' fanbase as well as entertain Sonic's new 'young audience'.

[jmbarnes101]

I was just thinking this morning that Nintendo should buy the rights to SEGA's gaming library and produce the titles themselves. I have a feeling that Ninty could make a great Sonic game. Then we could maybe actually get follow-ups to some of the best games such as Skies.

[Pulsar_t]

Nintendo would never get the "feel" right for Sega's franchises though. As for Sonic unless they reinvent him in 3D and abandon this on-rails platforming of his he will remain a lost cause. Anyway can we have more Sonic Rush games please?

[Dylan]

Nintendo would never get the "feel" right for Sega's franchises though

I don't think Sega would either.

I think that Sega should just officially rebuild itself. New IPs, new direction for the production of their games, new public image, etc. It's not like Sega can't do good things anymore, it's just that they need to abandon their old image in the face of what they are now.

It's clear that there's an obvious division between modern Sega and the one that we used to know. I just think they should acknowledge that.

[the7k]

I think I know what Sega needs to do to appeal to old and new Sonic fans.

Vampire Sonic! He can transform into a bat, and drain his enemies to make himself stronger! Multiply the current cast of characters by 3 times and increase the amount of time spent dicking around in a city talking with random strangers, and I think we have a winner on our hands.

[weasels]

I think I know what Sega needs to do to appeal to old and new Sonic fans.

Vampire Sonic! He can transform into a bat, and drain his enemies to make himself stronger! Multiply the current cast of characters by 3 times and increase the amount of time spent dicking around in a city talking with random strangers, and I think we have a winner on our hands.

be careful what you wish for....