Sonic Superstars was a 'disappointment,' says Sega president

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SUMMARY

  • Sega's president admits that Sonic Superstars was a disappointment.
  • Sonic Superstars failed to meet Sega's expectations, with criticisms regarding the mechanics, boss battles, multiplayer, music, and bugs.
  • Utsumi also mentioned the successful transmedia connection of Sonic X Shadow Generations and teased Sega's plans for 2025 with a legacy revival.



Sega COO and newly appointed president Shuji Utsumi admitted that the year is 2023 Sonic Superstars “disappointment” in recent franchise releases. Sonic Superstars was first released in October 2023 as a deliberate call and return to the Classic Genesis style of Sonic franchise, as 2D platformers focused on speed. It also added a few new features to focus on, such as four-player co-op play, new powers and obstacles related to the Chaos Emeralds, and even a new playable version of Amy Rose. Superstars also saw the return of Fang the Hunter, a character who has been absent from the game for a long time.

Sonic Superstars it had a mixed reception when it was released. If 2023 is a weak year for Sega in terms of sales, Sonic Superstars especially not to Sega's own expectations, despite managing to be the publisher's best-selling title of the year. Moreover, the critical reception of Sonic Superstars middling, with fans and reviewers critical of the game's mechanics, citing tedious boss battles, wonky multiplayer, inconsistent music quality, and various bugs. Recently, commented on Sega president Shuji Utsumi Superstars' performance.


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In an interview with Eurogamer, Shuji Utsumi was asked about the style Sonic the Hedgehog is trying to increase the quality of its products, comparing its annual releases in the 2000s to Nintendo's more conservative release schedule with Mario. Utsumi noted that if Sega tried to create something Sonic Frontiers, Sonic Superstars became a disappointment. Utsumi also raised border' development, where he had a “confused” direction, so he asked Takashi Iizuka to join the project and help “fix it” so that it would be ready in time for the second one. Sonic movies.


Sonic Superstars was a disappointment compared to the success of Sonic X Shadow Generations


Then Utsumi arrived Sonic X Shadow Generations' a recent success, which allows Sega to push things in the transmedia direction to connect and promote the game and the third movie together. He noted that the core experience is still in the game, however, saying that the game has to be really good, otherwise it won't have a transmedia effect. Utsumi then praised Sonic X Shadow Generations while teasing the publisher's plans for 2025.

Utsumi also discussed Sega's legacy revival strategy, which focused on three IPs that would serve as pillars (Sonic, Yakuzaand People), Sega is reviving some of its long-running properties such as Radio Jet Set SY A golden axeas seen in the announcement of the reboots at The Game Awards 2023. Sega also came out with two new games announced from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio at TGA 2024, announcing the new entry in the Virtua Fighter series and titles known as Project Century. Sonic will also drive in 2025 with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds spin-off too.

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