Sonic the Hedgehog has seen better days than where he finds himself currently, but arguably, he’s had his best output of games in recent years- true, Lost Worlds was disappointing, but Sonic Generations and Sonic Colors before it were both great games. Meanwhile, the Sonic and Sega All Stars Racing series continues to move from strength to strength.
Now, Sega has announced a new franchise strategy for Sonic, splitting it off into two branches- one, the older one, will continue to exist and see releases on multiple platforms. But there is also a new Sonic franchise, now called Sonic Boom, the first game in which will release exclusively on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS later this year, which will be based on the new animation series that is also debuting this year.
“We want to ensure that the Sonic brand continues to evolve and appeal to new generations of Sonic fans and this different look introduces a fresh approach that will be at once both familiar and new to consumers,” said John Cheng, President & COO, SEGA of America. “We are committed to supporting this initiative to provide great entertainment to fans for all aspects of their lives.”
For people who were unhappy with Sonic’s new look in Sonic Boom, at least you can rest assured that that look is limited only to this new sub-franchise.