Sega President Calls Sonic Superstars a ‘Disappointment’

Overview

Sega’s president publicly recognizes Sonic Superstars as a letdown in the franchise’s recent offerings.
The game faced criticism on multiple fronts, including gameplay mechanics, boss encounters, multiplayer features, soundtrack quality, and technical issues.
Utsumi highlighted the success of Sonic X and Shadow Generations, hinting at Sega’s upcoming projects for 2025, focused on revitalizing classic franchises.

Shuji Utsumi, Sega’s newly appointed Chief Operating Officer and president, has candidly acknowledged that Sonic Superstars, released in October 2023, did not live up to expectations. This title aimed to harken back to the 2D platforming roots reminiscent of the classic Genesis era, prioritizing speed and gameplay simplicity. It featured multiplayer cooperative play, innovative powers associated with the Chaos Emeralds, and introduced a new iteration of fan-favorite character Amy Rose. Additionally, the return of Fang the Hunter marked a nostalgic nod to long-time fans.

Despite its ambitious goals, the initial reception of Sonic Superstars was mixed. Notably, 2023 has seen a downturn in sales for Sega, with Sonic Superstars standing out as the publisher’s leading title of the year. However, it notably fell short of internal expectations. Critics and fans alike pointed out several drawbacks, including cumbersome boss fights, unrefined multiplayer mechanics, inconsistent soundtracks, and numerous bugs that hampered the overall experience.

In a recent conversation with Eurogamer, Utsumi elaborated on efforts to elevate Sonic’s quality output. He contrasted the franchise’s early 2000s production pace with Nintendo’s more measured approach to releasing Mario games. Reflecting on previous projects, he expressed disappointment in Sonic Superstars, suggesting that Sonic Frontiers faced its own challenges during development, prompting him to enlist Takashi Iizuka to guide it toward success in conjunction with the second Sonic movie’s release.

Sonic Superstars’ Disappointment in Contrast to Sonic X and Shadow Generations’ Success

Utsumi also underscored the triumph of Sonic X and Shadow Generations in forging a successful transmedia partnership, which has effectively connected the game with its associated film. He emphasized that delivering a quality gaming experience is crucial for achieving this synergy, recognizing that the foundation of the Sonic brand must be solid for any transmedia outreach to resonate. While praising Sonic X and Shadow Generations, Utsumi teased exciting plans for 2025, indicating further opportunities for growth and innovation.

In discussing Sega’s broader revival approach, Utsumi revealed the company’s focus on key franchises such as Sonic, Yakuza, and Persona as the core pillars for future growth. Furthermore, Sega intends to reboot several beloved but dormant titles, including Jet Set Radio and Golden Axe, with exciting announcements made during The Game Awards 2023. The company has also unveiled plans for new titles from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio at TGA 2024, including a new Virtua Fighter entry and Project Century. Additionally, Sonic is set to make a grand entrance in 2025 with the release of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, further solidifying Sega’s commitment to rejuvenating its iconic properties.

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