SEGA on goals for Sonic Mania/Forces, division between fans, popularity of Sonic

A portion of a GamesBeat interview with Takashi Iizuka...

GamesBeat: What are you trying to accomplish with these two new Sonic games? What are they each trying to do differently?

Takashi Iizuka: There are two big things we’re trying to do. With Sonic Mania, we’re making a game that touches on the nostalgia of when you grew up playing the 16-bit Sonic games. We wanted to make a classic game that stayed true to that classic design, classic look and feel, and provided that to fans who enjoyed the Genesis version of Sonic the Hedgehog. But it’s not just a classic game. It’s making something new and exciting that fits in that classic package.

For Sonic Forces, we realized that a lot of people have played a lot of different games over Sonic’s history. Sonic Mania would be a game for people like me who grew up with the Genesis version, but at the same time a lot of people enjoyed playing the 3D modern Sonic games. Sonic Forces is the answer to what those people are looking for — a modern Sonic game with fast, exciting gameplay like Colors and Generations. This is a game for them. For the first time we’re including a customizable character, one that players can design themselves and bring into the world. They get to take that character they made and go on an adventure with Sonic.

GamesBeat: It seems like there’s a division between that older generation of Sonic fans and a younger one.

Iizuka: We realize that some of the older fans really appreciate that style more than younger kids who came in with 3D video games and that more modern 3D aesthetic. It doesn’t meant that younger kids don’t play the classic games, though, and even some of our older fans enjoy Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations.

GamesBeat: How do you feel about where the popularity of Sonic is at today and where it’s going?

Iizuka: For the past few years we’ve been exclusively on Nintendo platforms. They make great hardware, but we realized that for the games we’re making now, going multiplatform is what we need to do to get as many people to play Sonic games as possible. We’re looking forward to being on every platform, including PC, and maybe even looking for some new fans and new audiences that haven’t had Nintendo hardware and are now going to be able to play Sonic again. We’re excited to look at the future and hopefully find a new audience of players who like the Sonic games.