is a
video game developer
A video game developer is a broad term for a software developer specializing in video game development – the process and related disciplines of creating video games. A game developer can range from one person who undertakes all tasks to a large ...
owned by the Japanese video game company
Sega
is a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, respectively. Its division ...
as part of its Sega CS Research and Development No. 2 division. Sonic Team is best known for the long-running ''
Sonic the Hedgehog
is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformers m ...
'' series and games such as ''
Nights into Dreams'' and ''
Phantasy Star Online
''Phantasy Star Online'' is an online role-playing game (RPG) developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega in 2000 for the Dreamcast. It was the first online RPG for game consoles; players adventure with up to three others over the internet ...
''.
The initial team, formed in 1990, comprised staff from Sega's Consumer Development division, including programmer
Yuji Naka
, credited in some games as YU2, is a Japanese video game programmer, designer and producer. He is the former head of the Sega studio Sonic Team, where he was the lead programmer of the original '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' series on the Sega Mega ...
, artist
Naoto Ohshima
(born February 26, 1964) is a Japanese artist and video game designer, best known for designing Sonic the Hedgehog and Dr. Eggman characters from Sega's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise. Although Yuji Naka created the original tech demo around wh ...
, and level designer
Hirokazu Yasuhara
(also credited as Carol Yas) is a Japanese video game designer. He is best known for designing the gameplay and stages of the initial ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' video games for Sega Genesis in the 1990s, based on technical demos and engines programme ...
. The team took the name Sonic Team in 1991 with the release of their first game, ''
Sonic the Hedgehog
is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformers m ...
,'' for the
Sega Genesis
The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...
. The game was a major success and contributed to millions of Genesis sales. The next ''Sonic'' games were developed by Naka and Yasuhara in America at
Sega Technical Institute
Sega Technical Institute (STI) was an American video game developer owned by Sega. Founded by the Atari veteran Mark Cerny in 1990, STI sought to combine elite Japanese developers, including the Sonic Team programmer Yuji Naka and his team, wit ...
, while Ohshima worked on ''
Sonic CD
is a 1993 platform game for the Sega CD developed and published by Sega. The story follows Sonic the Hedgehog as he attempts to save an extraterrestrial body, Little Planet, from Doctor Robotnik. Like other ''Sonic'' games, Sonic runs and ...
'' in Japan. Naka returned to Japan in late 1994 to become the head of CS3, later renamed R&D No. 8. During this time, the division took on the Sonic Team brand but developed games that do not feature Sonic, such as ''Nights into Dreams'' (1996) and ''
Burning Rangers
is a 1998 action game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn. ''Burning Rangers'' is set in a futuristic society in which fire is the remaining danger. Players control one of an elite group of firefighters, the Burn ...
'' (1998).
Following the release of ''
Sonic Adventure
is a 1998 platform game for Sega's Dreamcast and the first main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' game to feature 3D gameplay. It follows Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose, Big the ...
'' in 1998, some Sonic Team staff moved to the United States to form Sonic Team USA and develop ''
Sonic Adventure 2
is a platform video game developed by Sonic Team USA and published by Sega. It was the final ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' game for the Dreamcast after Sega left the home console market. It features two Conflict between good and evil, good-vs-evil stor ...
'' (2001). With Sega's divestiture of its studios into separate companies, R&D No. 8 became SONICTEAM Ltd. in 2000, with Naka as CEO and Sonic Team USA as its subsidiary. Sega's financial troubles led to several major structural changes in the early 2000s; the United Game Artists studio was absorbed by Sonic Team in 2003, and Sonic Team USA became Sega Studios USA in 2004. After
Sammy Corporation
is a Japanese developer and retailer of pachinko and pachislot machines, headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its South Korean office, Sammy Amusement Service, is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Sammy is a subsidiary of the entertainment cong ...
purchased Sega in 2004, Sonic Team was reincorporated to become Sega's GE1 research and development department. Naka departed during the development of
''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (2006), and Sega Studios USA was merged back into Sonic Team in 2008. The following decade was marked by ''Sonic'' games of varying reception, with head of studio
Takashi Iizuka
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his 33-year career in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He has also worked for Pro Wrestling Noa ...
acknowledging that Sonic Team had prioritized shipping over quality.
History
1990: Formation and ''Sonic the Hedgehog''
In 1983, programmer
Yuji Naka
, credited in some games as YU2, is a Japanese video game programmer, designer and producer. He is the former head of the Sega studio Sonic Team, where he was the lead programmer of the original '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' series on the Sega Mega ...
was hired into Sega's Consumer Development division.
His first project was ''
Girl's Garden
is an action game developed and published by Sega for the SG-1000 console in 1985. The game follows a girl as she gathers flowers to win the love of a boy. It was the debut work of Sega programmers Yuji Naka and Hiroshi Kawaguchi. Naka went o ...
'', which he and
Hiroshi Kawaguchi created as part of their training process. For his next game, ''
Phantasy Star
is a series of console role-playing video games and other supplementary media created by Sega. The series debuted in 1987 on the Master System with '' Phantasy Star'', and continues into the present with ''Phantasy Star Online 2'' and other ex ...
'' (1987) for the
Master System
The is an 8-bit
third-generation home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of consoles, which was released in Japan in 1985 an ...
, Naka created pseudo-3D animation effects. He met artist
Naoto Ohshima
(born February 26, 1964) is a Japanese artist and video game designer, best known for designing Sonic the Hedgehog and Dr. Eggman characters from Sega's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise. Although Yuji Naka created the original tech demo around wh ...
while working on the game.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, a rivalry formed between
Sega
is a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, respectively. Its division ...
and
Nintendo
is a Japanese multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produced handmade playing cards ...
due to the release of their
16-bit
16-bit microcomputers are microcomputers that use 16-bit microprocessors.
A 16-bit register can store 216 different values. The range of integer values that can be stored in 16 bits depends on the integer representation used. With the two ...
video game console
A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connected to ...
s: the
Sega Genesis
The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...
and the
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Eu ...
.
Sega needed a mascot character that would be as synonymous with their brand as
Mario
is a character (arts), character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in ...
was with Nintendo.
Sega wanted a
killer app
In marketing terminology, a killer application (commonly shortened to killer app) is any computer program or software that is so necessary or desirable that it proves the core value of some larger technology, such as computer hardware, a video game ...
and character that could appeal to an older demographic than preteens, demonstrate the capabilities of the Genesis, and ensure commercial success in North America.
Sega held an internal competition to submit characters designs for a mascot.
Ohshima designed a blue hedgehog named Sonic,
who was inserted into a prototype game created by Naka.
The Sonic design was refined to be less aggressive and appeal to a wider audience before the division began development on their platform game ''
Sonic the Hedgehog
is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformers m ...
''.
According to Ohshima, Sega was looking for a game that would sell well in the United States as well as in Japan. Ohshima and Naka already had the game and character ready, with Ohshima having worked with Sega's toy and stationery department on design ideas. Ohshima claims that the progress they had already made encouraged the company to select their proposal, as theirs was the only team to have put in a high amount of time and effort. This left him confident their proposal would be selected.
The ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' project began with just Naka and Ohshima,
but grew to involve two programmers, two sound engineers, and three designers.
Hirokazu Yasuhara
(also credited as Carol Yas) is a Japanese video game designer. He is best known for designing the gameplay and stages of the initial ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' video games for Sega Genesis in the 1990s, based on technical demos and engines programme ...
joined to supervise Naka and Ohshima and develop levels, and became the lead designer. He satisfied Naka's request for a simple, one-button design by having Sonic do damage by jumping.
''Sonic the Hedgehog'' was released in 1991 and proved a major success, contributing to millions of sales of the Genesis.
The development team took the name Sonic Team for the game's release.
Naka has referred to Sonic Team as only a "team name" at this point.
1994–1998: Re-establishment and new intellectual properties
Shortly after the release of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', Naka, Yasuhara, and a number of other Japanese developers relocated to California to join
Sega Technical Institute
Sega Technical Institute (STI) was an American video game developer owned by Sega. Founded by the Atari veteran Mark Cerny in 1990, STI sought to combine elite Japanese developers, including the Sonic Team programmer Yuji Naka and his team, wit ...
(STI), a development division established by
Mark Cerny
Mark Evan Cerny (born August 24, 1964) is an American video game designer, programmer, producer and media proprietor.
Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Cerny attended UC Berkeley before dropping out to pursue a career in video games. In h ...
intended as an elite studio combining the design philosophies of American and Japanese developers.
While Naka and Yasuhara developed ''
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
is a 1992 platform game developed by Sega Technical Institute (STI) for the Sega Genesis. It follows Sonic as he attempts to stop Doctor Eggman from stealing the Chaos Emeralds to power his space stationnamed The Death Egg. Like the first ''S ...
'' with STI, Ohshima worked on ''
Sonic CD
is a 1993 platform game for the Sega CD developed and published by Sega. The story follows Sonic the Hedgehog as he attempts to save an extraterrestrial body, Little Planet, from Doctor Robotnik. Like other ''Sonic'' games, Sonic runs and ...
,'' a sequel for the
Sega CD
The Sega CD, released as the in most regions outside North America and Brazil, is a CD-ROM accessory for the Sega Genesis produced by Sega as part of the fourth generation of video game consoles. It was released on December 12, 1991, in Japan ...
add-on. Though Naka was not directly involved in the ''Sonic CD'' development, he exchanged design ideas with Ohshima.
Following the release of ''
Sonic & Knuckles
is a 1994 platform game developed and published by Sega. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles the Echidna in their quests to save Angel Island; Sonic tries to prevent Doctor Robotnik from relaunching his orbital weapon, the Death Egg ...
'' in 1994, Yasuhara quit, citing differences with Naka. Naka returned to Japan, having been offered a role as a producer.
He was placed in charge of Sega's Consumer Development Department 3, also known as CS3. Naka was reunited with Ohshima and brought with him
Takashi Iizuka
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his 33-year career in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He has also worked for Pro Wrestling Noa ...
, who had also worked with Naka's team at STI.
In the mid-1990s, Sonic Team started work on new intellectual property, leading to the creation of ''
Nights into Dreams'' (1996) and ''
Burning Rangers
is a 1998 action game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn. ''Burning Rangers'' is set in a futuristic society in which fire is the remaining danger. Players control one of an elite group of firefighters, the Burn ...
'' (1998) for the
Sega Saturn
The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the su ...
.
Naka stated that the release of ''Nights'' is when Sonic Team was truly formed as a brand.
The Saturn did not achieve the commercial success of the Genesis, so Sega focused its efforts on a new console, the
Dreamcast
The is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998, in Japan; September 9, 1999, in North America; and October 14, 1999, in Europe. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, Nint ...
, which debuted in Japan in 1998.
The Dreamcast was seen as opportunity for Sonic Team to revisit the ''Sonic'' series, which had stalled in recent years.
Sonic Team was originally creating a fully 3D ''Sonic'' game for the Saturn, but development moved to the Dreamcast to align with Sega's plans.
Takashi Iizuka led the project; Iizuka had long wanted to create a ''Sonic''
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
and felt the Dreamcast was powerful enough to achieve his vision. The game became ''
Sonic Adventure
is a 1998 platform game for Sega's Dreamcast and the first main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' game to feature 3D gameplay. It follows Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose, Big the ...
'', launched in 1998,
which became the bestselling Dreamcast game.
Around this time, CS3 was renamed to Sega Research and Development Department 8 (R&D #8). While sometimes referred to as AM8 or "Sega-AM8",
based on the R&D structure being titled the Sega Amusement Machine Research and Development (AM) teams, Sonic Team focused solely on home console games. Until 2000, media referred to Sonic Team's designation as both R&D #8 and AM8.
1999–2003: Dreamcast and Sega restructuring
In 1999, shortly after the release of ''Sonic Adventure'', twelve Sonic Team members relocated to San Francisco to establish Sonic Team USA, while others remained in Japan. Shortly afterward, a number of key employees—including Ohshima—left Sega to form a new studio,
Artoon
Artoon Co., Ltd. (株式会社アートゥーン Kabushiki-Gaisha Ātūn) was a Japanese video game developer established in 1999. It became a subsidiary of AQ Interactive in May 2004 and became a wholly owned subsidiary in June 2005. The team w ...
. Sonic Team achieved success in the
arcade game
An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade vi ...
market in 1999 with the launch of
rhythm game
Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to press ...
''
Samba de Amigo
is a rhythm game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. The game was released in arcades in December 1999, and for the Dreamcast video game console in 2000. A port for the Wii was also developed by Gearbox Software and Escalation Studio ...
'', released the following year for the Dreamcast. The studio also began developing
online game
An online game is a video game that is either partially or primarily played through the Internet or any other computer network available. Online games are ubiquitous on modern gaming platforms, including PCs, consoles and mobile devices, and s ...
s; in 1999, they released ''
ChuChu Rocket!
is an action puzzle game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. Released for the Dreamcast in 1999, it was the first game for the system to support online console gaming. Players must place arrows on a board to lead mice into escap ...
'', a
puzzle game
A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together ( or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct or fun solution of the puzzl ...
that made use of the Dreamcast's online capabilities. In 2000, Sonic Team launched the
role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal ac ...
''
Phantasy Star Online
''Phantasy Star Online'' is an online role-playing game (RPG) developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega in 2000 for the Dreamcast. It was the first online RPG for game consoles; players adventure with up to three others over the internet ...
'' to critical and commercial success.
Sega began to restructure its studios in October 2000 and spun off its software divisions into subsidiary companies.
When the departments took new names, Naka felt it important to preserve the Sonic Team brand name,
and the division's new legal name as a company was SONICTEAM, Ltd.
Naka was installed as the CEO, and Sonic Team USA became a subsidiary of the new company.
Despite a number of well-received games, Sega discontinued the Dreamcast in 2001
and exited the hardware business.
Sega transitioned into a
third-party developer
A video game developer is a broad term for a software developer specializing in video game development – the process and related disciplines of creating video games. A game developer can range from one person who undertakes all tasks to a large ...
and began developing games for multiple platforms.
From 2000, Sonic Team in Japan began to release fewer games, with a few releases such as the puzzle game
''Puyo Pop'' and the action game ''
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the GameCube in 2003. Ports were released in Europe in 2006 for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. The game received mixed to positive reviews.
Gameplay
''Billy Hatcher'' is a 3D ...
''. The company changes and lack of a Sega console affected Sonic Team; according to Naka, in a 2006 interview, "Our approach was always to create strategic title concepts, which included the hardware. We do somewhat miss the idea of being able to address these constant challenges."
However, originality remained important for Naka as instead of ''Sonic Adventure 3'', ''Sonic Heroes'' was developed, ''Billy Hatcher'' was a new IP, and ''
Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D Battle'' was a new take on take on the franchise.Asked about why Sonic continues to endure as a brand, Naka has said that it was because children really like the character. Naka's goal was to appeal to the largest audience possible and to appeal to children.
Early in 2003, Sega president Hideki Sato and COO Tetsu Kamaya announced they were stepping down from their roles, with Sato being replaced by Hisao Oguchi, the head of
Hitmaker. As part of Oguchi's restructuring plan, he announced his intention to consolidate Sega's studios into "four or five core operations." Sonic Team was financially solvent and absorbed
United Game Artists
(UGA) was a subsidiary of Sega headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was founded by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, a video game developer who had experience with Sega's AM3 division. After separating with Kenji Sasaki to form AM Annex, Mizuguchi le ...
, another Sega subsidiary led by
Tetsuya Mizuguchi
is a Japanese video game designer, producer, and businessman. Along with ex-Sega developers he is the one of the co-founders of the video game development firm Q Entertainment. He formerly worked for Sega as a producer in their Sega AM3 'arcade m ...
and known for the
music games ''
Space Channel 5
''Space Channel 5'' is a music video game developed by Sega AM9 and published by parent company Sega. Originally released for the Dreamcast (1999 in Japan, 2000 worldwide), it was later ported to the PlayStation 2 (2002 in Europe, 2003 in Japan ...
'' (1999) and ''
Rez'' (2001).
2004–present: Reintegration and recent years
In 2004, Japanese company
Sammy
Sammy is a nickname, frequently for people named Samuel, and also an English spelling of the Arabic name Sami.
People Music
*Sammy Adams (born 1987), American rapper and songwriter
* Sammy Cahn (1913-1993), American songwriter
* Sammy Davis Jr. ...
acquired a controlling interest in Sega and formed
Sega Sammy Corporation.
Prior to the merger, Sega began the process of re-integrating its subsidiaries into the main company. Sonic Team USA became Sega Studios USA,
while SONICTEAM Ltd. became Sega's Global Entertainment 1 research and development division (GE1). The team is still referred to as Sonic Team.
As of 2005, senior Sega figures including
Toshihiro Nagoshi
is a Japanese video game producer, director and designer. He was the chief creative officer for Sega until 2021 when he became creative director. He went on to be the general director of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, and later became a member of the ...
and
Yu Suzuki
is a Japanese game designer, producer, programmer, and engineer, who headed Sega's AM2 team for 18 years. Considered one of the first auteurs of video games, he has been responsible for a number of Sega's arcade hits, including three-dimen ...
were reporting to Naka; according to Takashi Yuda, he was involved in all Sega game development. Naka announced his departure on 8 May 2006 and formed a new studio,
Prope
Prope Ltd. is a now defunct Japanese video game development studio founded by Yuji Naka, a former Japanese video game programmer, designer and producer.
Formation
As part of Sega's "support program for independent game creators", Yuji Naka lef ...
, to focus on creating original games.
He left Sonic Team during the development of ''
Sonic the Hedgehog
is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformers m ...
'' (2006), released as part of the 15-year anniversary of the ''Sonic'' franchise. ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' was panned for its bugs and design flaws; ''
Sonic Unleashed
''Sonic Unleashed'' is a 2008 platform video game in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. The story follows Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic as he attempts to restore the world after his nemesis Doctor Eggman shatters it with a powerful laser ...
'' (2008) received mixed reviews, but sold well.
Both games were released for the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
and
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...
; Sonic Team also developed a series of ''Sonic'' games for the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major home game console, ...
and
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in t ...
, such as 2007's ''
Sonic and the Secret Rings
is a 2007 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Wii. A spin-off from the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series, it is the first title in the franchise for the system, and follows Sonic the Hedgehog's quest to stop an ...
''.
By 2010, Sonic Team had become part of CS Research and Development No. 2 (CS2), Sega Studios USA had been reintegrated into the Japanese team, and Iizuka had become the head of the department.
After a series of poorly received ''Sonic'' releases, Sonic Team refocused on speed and more traditional side-scrolling in ''
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I'' and ''
II'', ''
Sonic Generations
''Sonic Generations'' is a 2011 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, and Nintendo 3DS. Produced in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' series, ...
'', and ''
Sonic Colors
(known as ''Sonic Colours'' in the PAL region) is a 2010 platform game published by Sega. It follows Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic's quest to stop his nemesis Doctor Eggman from enslaving an alien race and taking over the world. The ga ...
'', which all received better reviews. In 2015, Iizuka recognized in an interview with ''
Polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed '' polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two ...
'' that Sonic Team had prioritized shipping games over quality, and had not had enough involvement in later third-party ''Sonic'' games, such as ''
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric''. He hoped the Sonic Team logo would stand as a "mark of quality"; he planned to release quality games and expand the ''Sonic'' brand, while retaining the modern Sonic design.
Iizuka stated that doing new things with the franchise has good and point points at times.Sonic Team's first ''Sonic'' game exclusive to
smartphone
A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whi ...
s, ''
Sonic Runners
was a 2015 endless runner game in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise for Android and iOS. It was developed by Sonic Team as its first ''Sonic'' game exclusive to smartphones and published by Sega. In ''Sonic Runners'', the player-character ...
'', was released in 2015. An
endless runner
Endless runner or infinite runner is a subgenre of platform game in which the player character runs for an infinite amount of time while avoiding obstacles. The player's objective is to reach a high score by surviving for as long as possible. ...
, it was designed to have more
replay value
Replay may refer to:
* Replay (sports), a replayed match between two sport teams Technology
* Game replay, a recording of a game session.
* Instant replay, in motion pictures and television, a showing again of part of a film
* Replay Professiona ...
than other games in the genre.
''Sonic Runners'' received mixed reviews
and was
unprofitable,
resulting in its discontinuation a year later.
In 2017, Sonic Team developed and released ''
Sonic Forces'', and oversaw the development of ''
Sonic Mania
''Sonic Mania'' is a 2017 platform game published by Sega for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows. Produced in commemoration of the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series' 25th anniversary, ''Sonic Mania'' pays homage to the original S ...
'' by
Christian Whitehead
Christian Whitehead, also known by his alias The Taxman, is an Australian video game programmer and designer. He is most recognized for his work creating updated ports of early games in Sega's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series, as well as being th ...
. ''Forces'' was aimed at a broad audience of young and adult players, while ''Mania'' was focused on fans of the original Genesis games.
''Mania'' became the best reviewed ''Sonic'' game in fifteen years
following nearly two decades of mixed reviews for the franchise.
At
SXSW in March 2019, Iizuka confirmed Sonic Team was also working on a new ''Sonic'' game, which became ''
Sonic Frontiers
is a 2022 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. As Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic, the player explores the Starfall Islands to collect the Chaos Emeralds, after Sonic and his friends are separated when falling thr ...
''.
Sonic Team also contributed to the 2019 reboot of ''
Sakura Wars
is a Japanese steampunk media franchise created by Oji Hiroi and owned by Sega. It is focused around a series of cross-genre video games. The first game in the series was released in 1996, with five sequels and numerous spin-off titles being ...
.''
Sonic Team USA / Sega Studios USA
Sonic Team USA, later Sega Studios USA, was a division of Sega and of Sonic Team while Sonic Team was a subsidiary company. It was founded when twelve Sonic Team members, including Takashi Iizuka, relocated to San Francisco, California, in 1999,
and was a subsidiary of SONICTEAM, Ltd. by 2000.
The team worked on game development, translation,
and market studies in the United States,
until they returned to Japan and merged back into Sonic Team in 2008.
Sonic Team USA translated ''Sonic Adventure'' and tested ''ChuChu Rocket!'' in America
before beginning work on ''
Sonic Adventure 2
is a platform video game developed by Sonic Team USA and published by Sega. It was the final ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' game for the Dreamcast after Sega left the home console market. It features two Conflict between good and evil, good-vs-evil stor ...
''. They took inspiration from their location in San Francisco, as well as Yosemite National Park and other areas of the United States.
''Sonic Adventure 2'' was released on 23 June 2001, and was ported to the GameCube.
The next Sonic Team USA project was ''
Sonic Heroes
is a 2003 3D platform game developed by Sonic Team USA and published by Sega as part of the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. The player races a team of series characters through levels to amass rings, defeat robots, and collect the seven Cha ...
'' (2003), the first ''Sonic'' game developed for multiple platforms.
[''Interview'' section. ] Sonic Team USA took a different approach with ''Heroes'' from the ''Sonic Adventure'' games, focusing on gameplay more similar to the Genesis games to which even casual gamers could adapt.
After SONICTEAM, Ltd. merged back into Sega in 2004, Sonic Team USA was renamed Sega Studios USA.
The division's next project was ''
Shadow the Hedgehog
is a fictional character appearing in Sega's '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise. Shadow was created by Takashi Iizuka and Shiro Maekawa, and first made his debut in ''Sonic Adventure 2'' (2001). Although this was intended to be his only appear ...
'', released in 2005,
a spin-off starring
Shadow
A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, ...
.
Unlike previous games, ''Shadow the Hedgehog'' was targeted at older players and featured different gameplay styles, including the use of guns and different endings to the game.
''Shadow the Hedgehog'' was critically panned for its mature themes and level design,
but was a commercial success, selling at least 1.59 million units.
The final Sega Studios USA game was ''
Nights: Journey of Dreams'', the sequel to ''Nights into Dreams'' and the first ''Nights'' game since the cancellation of ''Air Nights'' in 2000.
Iizuka felt it was important to retain the original game's concepts while developing new mechanics, and released it on the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major home game console, ...
, a more family-oriented console.
''Journey of Dreams'' was also designed to have a more European feel, in contrast to the ''Sonic'' games, which were more American. The sound and CGI were completed by Sonic Team in Japan, while Sega Studios USA handled the rest of the development for the 2007 release.
Sega Studios USA oversaw the development of ''
Sonic Rivals'' (2006) and ''
Sonic Rivals 2'' (2007) by
Backbone Entertainment
Backbone Entertainment was an American video game developer based in Emeryville, California. The company was formed in 2003 as the result of a merger between developers Digital Eclipse and ImaginEngine. In 2005, Backbone merged with The Collect ...
. In 2008, Sega Studios USA merged with Sonic Team,
making Iizuka the head of Sonic Team and a vice president of product development for Sega.
In 2016, Iizuka relocated to Los Angeles to oversee development with the goal of making Sega's studios in Los Angeles "a centralized hub for the global brand".
Games
Sonic Team has developed a number of video games, with many of them becoming bestsellers.
The studio is best known for its ''
Sonic the Hedgehog
is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformers m ...
'' series of platform games, which account for the majority of Sonic Team's work; the 1991 release of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' is considered one of the most important moments in video game history, as it propelled Genesis sales and displaced Nintendo as the leading video game company. Sonic Team have also developed a wide variety of other games, including
action game
An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, and platform gam ...
s such as ''Nights into Dreams'', ''Burning Rangers'', and ''Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg,'' the online puzzle game ''ChuChu Rocket!'', the online role-playing game ''Phantasy Star Online,'' and the music game ''Samba de Amigo''.
''Phantasy Star Online'' is credited for introducing online
RPGs RPG may refer to:
Military
* Rocket-propelled grenade, a shoulder-launched anti-tank weapon
**''Ruchnoi Protivotankoviy Granatomyot'' (Russian: ''Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт''), hand-held anti-tank grenade launc ...
to consoles and was the first online RPG for many players. According to Sean Smith of ''
Retro Gamer
''Retro Gamer'' is a British magazine, published worldwide, covering retro video games. It was the first commercial magazine to be devoted entirely to the subject. Launched in January 2004 as a quarterly publication, ''Retro Gamer'' soon became ...
'', few companies could claim to have released as many
AAA
AAA, Triple A, or Triple-A is a three-letter initialism or abbreviation which may refer to:
Airports
* Anaa Airport in French Polynesia (IATA airport code AAA)
* Logan County Airport (Illinois) (FAA airport code AAA)
Arts, entertainment, and me ...
games over such a long period, especially between 1991 and 2000.
Some Sonic Team games, such as the original ''Sonic'' games for the Genesis and ''Nights'', are considered some of the
best video games ever made. Iizuka has said Sonic Team would be open to developing a third ''Nights'' game or a sequel to ''
Knuckles' Chaotix'' (1995), if Sega were to commission them.
Sega and Sonic Team have been criticized for their handling of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' after the beginning of the
3D era of video games. Edwin Evans-Thirlwell of ''
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
'' described the 3D Sonic games as "20-odd years of slowly accumulating bullshit", and that unlike Sonic's main competitor, Nintendo's
''Mario'' series, ''Sonic'' in 3D never had a "transcendental hit". Zolani Stewart of ''
Kotaku'' argued that Sonic's portrayal starting with ''Sonic Adventure'' with the addition of voice acting and a greater focus on plot and character narrative changed Sonic into "a flat, lifeless husk of a character, who spits out slogans and generally has only one personality mode, the radical attitude dude, the sad recycled image of vague '90s cultural concept." Sega of America marketing director Al Nilsen and ''Sonic Mania'' developer Christian Whitehead said they felt the number of
additional characters added to the series was problematic, with Whitehead describing the characters as "padding".
In 2015, Sega CEO Haruki Satomi acknowledged that Sega had "partially betrayed" the trust of the longtime fans of their games and hoped to focus on quality over quantity.
See also
*
Sega development studios
This is a list of development studios owned by Sega, a Japanese video game developer and publisher based in Tokyo, Japan. Accompanied with the list is their history of game development. Also included are the companies that Sega has acquired over ...
*
Sega AM1
*
Sega AM2
previously known as is a video game development team within the Japanese multinational video game developer Sega. Yu Suzuki, who had previously developed arcade games for Sega including '' Hang-On'' and ''Out Run'', was the first manager of t ...
*
Amusement Vision
is a video game developer housed within the Japanese video game company Sega as part of its division. It is known for developing the games in the ''Yakuza'' series, which the studio is named after, since ''Yakuza 5''.
The studio's origins can b ...
*
Smilebit
or Sega Sports R&D is a defunct development division of the Japanese video game company Sega. It was previously known as Smilebit, one of nine semi-autonomous studios which Sega established in 2000. Smilebit was previously known as R&D6 or AM6 w ...
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Software companies based in Tokyo
Video game companies established in 1990
Sega divisions and subsidiaries
Sonic the Hedgehog
Video game companies of Japan
Video game development companies
Japanese companies established in 1990