[UPDATE] SEGA delisting Sonic 1, 2, 3 & Knuckles and CD from digital storefronts on May 20th

Update: SEGA Forever has clarified that the mobile ports of Sonic 1, 2 and CD will remain!
SEGA of Japan’s Sonic Channel further clarifies that the following titles will be delisted: Xbox 360: Sonic 1, 2, 3, & Knuckles; PS Now: Sonic 1; PS3: Sonic 1, 2; Steam: Sonic 1, 2, 3 & Knuckles. The Sonic CD port appears to be spared, though given this is the Japanese site, it is unknown if the US and Europe releases will match this list.

SEGA has announced that in the lead up to Sonic Origins, Sonic games found in the collection will be pulled from digital storefronts. In SEGA’s words:

This will include Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic CD. There are a couple of exceptions – Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and 2 will remain available via SEGA AGES on the Nintendo Switch and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will still be playable via Sega Genesis on Nintendo Switch Online +.

The biggest loss is the Taxman and Stealth Sonic CD, which is the one retro engine remake that broke through mobile platform exclusivity and saw release on Steam, XBLA and PSN. As far as other titles available now digitally: Sonic 1, 2, 3 and Sonic & Knuckles saw Vintage Collection releases on Xbox Marketplace; Sonic 1 and 2 saw releases on PSN for PlayStation 3; and Sonic 1, 2, 3 & Knuckles saw release on Steam. If you’re keeping track, Xbox is the most comprehensive method to play all five games thanks to Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles being separate releases, with lock-on versions as bonuses, and all titles are playable on the latest Xbox hardware through backwards compatibility. Steam players, meanwhile, must rely on Steam Workshop efforts which present the games as separate. Add in Sonic Mania and, yes, even Sonic 4 Episodes 1&2 and Xbox and Steam become the home of the classic Sonic 2D platforming saga.

So it makes sense that SEGA, hoping to drive fans to buying Sonic Origins, would clean house and have a single app download. The big questions now are: Will this affect the Sonic 1, 2 and CD mobile ports? It will NOT! See update at the top of the article. Will Sonic Origins present 16:9 versions of the classic games, free of the Anniversary mode gimmick? Will Sonic Origins preserve the easter eggs found within the games’ level select and debug modes? Will Sonic Origins allow players to enjoy Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles as standalone games?

Take note: this delisting does not appear to affect compilation titles like SEGA Genesis Classics, which contain Sonic 1 and 2.