Sonic Team Expresses Regret Over Absence of Remasters, Emphasizing Focus on New Game Development

Video game remakes and remasters are all the rage these days. While I’m not entirely on board with this trend, it’s clear that many fans are clamoring for updated versions of their beloved classics. So, it’s no surprise that the head of the Sonic franchise at Sega felt the need to clarify that, despite the demand for remakes, the focus is on creating new games instead.

In a recent chat, Sonic the Hedgehog series producer Takashi Iizuka addressed the community’s concerns regarding the scarcity of Sonic remakes and remasters. While there are a few out there, they pale in comparison to franchises like Resident Evil. Iizuka explained that their resources are limited, and they prefer to channel those into developing fresh content, even if it might not sit well with some fans.

“We receive all kinds of requests from the fanbase for remakes and remasters, like calls to port Sonic Unleashed,” Iizuka shared. “However, our resources are finite. Instead of allocating them to remakes and remasters, we’re more eager to offer fans new games and unexpected experiences.”

He elaborated that remaking an old game is not as straightforward as it seems. “With remakes and remasters, you’re essentially rehashing the same experience. Nowadays, remaking a classic requires nearly as much effort as creating a brand-new title. You have to overhaul all the graphics, and you can’t just re-release the gameplay as it was, since many aspects are considered outdated by today’s standards.”

Iizuka acknowledged that the process of remaking and remastering isn’t as simple as some might believe, which is why he prefers to focus on crafting new experiences with the resources at hand.

“For now, my priority is on new titles,” he stated. “That said, we do recognize players’ concerns about certain games being hard to play, so I ask for your patience a little longer.”

While I’m not specifically calling for remasters or remakes, I do hope that more of the older Sonic titles become accessible on modern consoles in the future. I believe that’s a better way to honor a franchise’s legacy without exhausting resources on remakes. So, if you’re one of those hopefuls dreaming of a Sonic Unleashed remake, it looks like you might need to keep dreaming for a while longer.