I think everyone on the internet could name a few reasons why they don’t want their beloved Sonic the Hedgehog franchise to be exclusive to Nintendo platforms. First of all, the Wii U isn’t a power house. It is stated that it has the same capabilities as the Xbox 360/Playstation 3. But it seems that SEGA has inked a deal to have the next three Sonic the Hedgehog games exclusive to Nintendo platforms. So why isn’t this a bad thing?
Less platforms could mean better quality
One of the issues with games like Sonic Generations or even Sonic Unleashed is that it’s spread through too many platforms. You buy a handheld version, you aren’t guaranteed to get a Sonic Team developed game, more of a Dimps version. Now Sonic Team only has two platforms to develop on, the 3DS and the Wii U. This would mean less headaches and more focus on making the game fun. They don’t have to sit around and wonder if this will work on another platform or not, they know what their limitations are from the get go. They know what they can or can’t do.
I think Sonic Team games always suffer from time issues. Sonic Generations was great, but the later parts of it (like the last boss) always have issues. It’s almost as if the studio is spread too thin and doesn’t have enough time to finish their games. This could change all that.
Most Sonic fans own Nintendo consoles
This isn’t something that is a secret, even since the release of the Gamecube, most Sonic games have done best on Nintendo platforms. Sonic Colors did outstanding, which was a Wii/DS exclusive. Of course, this game was released when the Wii was all the rage. Wii U isn’t having the same amount of success, but I doubt that the Sonic fanbase is the same type of people who go buy Wii Fit (super casual moms). Sonic the Hedgehog has a cult following and they will purchase this game. It will do good numbers.
Since most Sonic fans are younger, now they only need to purchase one console to get their blue blur fix.
More presence and hype from Nintendo
Have you guys ever seen press conferences from console manufactures? I have and let me tell you, it disappoints me that they don’t bring out SEGA on stage. I always thought that stuff like Vanquish and Binary Domain should have been showcased at a Sony or Microsoft conference. Instead all these people care about is showing off the same old games that sell 7 million + units that get shoved down our throats every year. Yes I’m talking about Assassins Creed and Call of Duty.
Its nice that Sonic Lost Worlds and the upcoming Sonic games will be featured in big press conferences next to other big Nintendo franchises. This is something I have been waiting to see. I can’t wait.
Yuji Naka would approve
When Dreamcast first left the console race, many people were questioning where the Sonic franchise would go. Yuji Naka said in a few interviews that he wanted Nintendo to be the next home of the blue blur. This lead to Gamecube exclusive ports of Sonic Adventure DX, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle and other retro compilations SEGA later decided that there was too much money releasing their biggest franchise on the worse selling console that generation. So SEGA went and released Sonic Heroes on all platforms.
Of course, Yuji Naka isn’t at SEGA anymore, but it’s good to see what he wanted come to pass. Who knows, maybe he was right all along, maybe Sonic’s home is Nintendo?
Wii U is a gamble, but so is Playstation 4 and ‘Xbox Infinity’
I think one of the few things people bring up when they talk about the Wii U its lack of sales. Sure, the console isn’t doing that hot, but it hasn’t even been out a year. I think we all know not to judge a console too early. Remember all the hate that the Playstation 3 got when it came out? All the doom and gloom people spread on message boards? The absolute hate that Sony fans got, being mocked on every big publication website? The memes? It was way more negative than the Wii U. Way more.
The way I see it, sales shouldn’t factor in right now since the Playstation 4 and the ‘Xbox Infinity’ (rumored title) aren’t even out yet. That means they have sold zero units so far, while the Wii U has 3.5 million units out in people’s homes. You guys are also forgetting that being Nintendo exclusive also means they can make games on the 3DS, which has sold over 30 million units world wide. There are gamers with the consoles and they are hungry for good games. SEGA could be the one to feed them.
Thank you george. Those are amazing points. excellently summed up in this article
I would add in that these collaborations are also good for sharing and obtaining experience from each another.
Nintendo had planned this very early, and each game they are involved in, in some way, ends up being a good game. Basically, this collab could very well make this one of the best games with even slightly nintendos presence… hopefully
Dumps will still do handheld!
Yuji Naka got screwed over just like any other indie developer by Nintendo.
About the big press conference point: Nintendo isn’t really holding one this year. It’ll probably still be shown alongside other Nintendo games in Nintendo Directs though, which they’re doing instead of the press conference this year.
Really though, what’s the big difference between televising your games in a big room full of press and televising your games to everyone at once? No matter what, everyone gets the same info at the same time.
i kinda wish if it was on ps4 cause im curious if it’s graphics engine will rival pixar movies….. and if nintendo is developing this game im gonna be super happy
I can list reasons on why it’d be a bad thing for the WHOLE franchise to become Nintendo Exclusive. I think this should JUST remain a 3-game exclusive deal.
We -just- started getting good PC and Mobile ports of good Sonic games recently, and those markets do well enough for Sega not to ignore putting their mascot there.
I don’t see the franchise becoming exclusive unless Nintendo buys SEGA. Sure, Sonic does the best on Nintendo, but has sold well enough on the 360 and PS3 as well. Franchise exclusivity would also be unfair to all the Sonic fans who supported other companies instead.
@Shade Vortex
Listen well and try to learn something in the clearly tiny digital and sony/microsoft fanboy brain of yours.
All of that porting is why Sonic games have been held back and developed so poorly ever since Heroes. Now, being Wii U and 3DS exclusive, SEGA will know the limits of the consoles, and can spend all of that EXTREMELY wasted porting money and time on the titles development instead so it plays and looks better than ever.
Why was Sonic Colors so greatly detailed in every stage and had so many? Nintendo exclusive. It was longer than Generations by a long shot and looked better even being on a “weaker” console. Why? No worries of digital porting and multi console porting and all of that time was focused purely on the title.
Just so you can’t respond with a stupid issue over this, let me say I know your whiny type. If it was PC exclusive, or Sony, or Microsoft exclusive, you would praise God and think it was the best choice ever.
Over the years, Sonic titles have sold best on Nintendo consoles. Even Sonic Unleashed sold far better on the Wii than the other praised versions.
This is SEGA’s best choice in years and you amongst others who complain are just too pathetic to admit it and refuse to think anything exclusive with Nintendo is good.
What is wrong with people like you that if someone has an opinion that you don’t like, you call them a fanboy and insult them in some way? Are you that insecure you get this upset about someone having a difference of opinion?
1) The 3DS version will not be the same version as the Wii U version. I’ll be (pleasantly) surprised if it isn’t in the rush style that every other DS Sonic has been.
2) The Wii U is not doing well. It really isn’t no matter how much comparisons to a $600+ console’s struggles we make. A new Mario or Zelda isn’t going to give the console an unprecedented boost.
3) Not everything Nintendo puts its paws into turns out amazing. Paper Mario Sticker Star, for example, has a lower Metacritic score than Sonic Generations, a game Sega made on its own! What about Metroid Other M? A lot of people didn’t like that. And just checking Metacritic, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon got a worse score than Sonic 4 Episode 2!
4) Why do we care what Yuki Naka thinks? Just because he was involved in Sonic’s creation doesn’t give him some exclusive wisdom. He made Flick Pigs for the iOS. Wasn’t very good.
There are a couple good reasons for Sonic being exclusive to Nintendo for a few games though: MONEY. I’m assuming Sega will make money on this whether or not it sells. That’s good for them. More money means more games!
Since they’ll make money whether or not it sells, they can also experiment with new gameplay styles. If it works, then when they release something for the PS4/Xboxwhatever, it’ll be a more polished version of that style.
As for Nintendo, this might even sell them some units. I really want a Wii U now just for this. But even it’s absolutely amazing, I won’t be purchasing a console for one (or two) games until the Wii U is less than $200.
Sonic is not exclusive to Nintendo now. Why do people keep talking as though he is. This is ridiculous.
SEGA has 3 Wii U-exclusive Sonic games coming out. That’s it. This isn’t a startling new development. They aren’t abandoning Sony and Microsoft. This is basically the same as what happened with the Wii.
Secret Rings. Black Knight. Colors. Beijing Olympics. London Olympics. Vancouver Olympics. All Wii-exclusive, and no one batted an eye (maybe because the only really great one out of the bunch was Colors, but still).
And now people are acting like Sonic is exclusive because the Wii U is getting another Olympics game, one regular platformer, and one other title? This isn’t some major move for the Blue Blur. This is business as usual, and not really worth making a big deal about, either saying that it’s terrible or the best thing ever.
Sonic Colours and Sonic Generations sales figures are wrong. Most Sonic fans do not own a Wii U, not even the Nintendo ones (which are not most Sonic fans). PS4 and XBox Whatever will do better than Wii U assuredly. Non-Nintendo would have meant a PC port too.
Hello stupid. All of that porting is why Sonic games are so short and glitchy. All of that budget and time wasted on porting is now eliminated reserving all of that extra money and time for the game itself to make it look and play better than ever before.
Sonic Color’s was multiple times longer than Generations. It had more details in every stage as well.
Why? Complete and total time put into it being exclusive instead of worrying about making the game work right on every single digital device and console out there.
So shut up and quit being butthurt just because you have a strong dislike for Nintendo.
Digital markets and the Sonic/Microsoft consoles have had more than enough of their own exclusives. So get over it and play what you have until they release your games next year.
Say they spend a small fortune making a Sonic game for the PS4 and Xbox Infinity, as we know games will cost even more to make now. How many people are going to buy a Sonic game on these consoles? Not many. Why? Because these consoles will be purchased to play super realistic First Person Shooters online, sports titles and generic over the shoulder action games.
Nintendo is the home of child friendly/family targeted franchises and has been for years. Kids love Sonic. Older fans may have taken a dislike to him, but every day I see kids wearing Sonic shirts in town. He is a likable character and parents know what kind of game they are getting when they buy Sonic. Also, I can see why Nintendo would want Sonic as an exclusive for now. The Wii U needs more games, and Sonic is a well known franchise that sells. Come christmas, Nintendo may very well depend on Sonic to help shift consoles.
If creating Sonic games for the Wii U ensures SEGA can continue making them on a reasonable budget then fair play to them. I’d rather they do that than take a massive risk and see no return. Sure, I’d love a PS4/Xbox Infinity version of a new Sonic game, but can’t see owners of these consoles actually giving a shit when it’s released.
You make some good points. All it will take for me to buy a WiiU is one or 2 exclusive games I want, and the money.
Seeing as how Sonic has been running downhill, with every obstacle in his way, since the drop of the Dreamcast, he has been pulling through and SEGA has been veering him in certain directions that we know have put a dapper on our favorite hedgehog’s path for a while. Ironically, since the two companies used to be at each other all the time back in the 90’s it is best to have old rivals work together to bring out the best of what they both have to offer. Even though this partnership is only temporary, I do hope it brings in a great revenue for Nintendo and SEGA.
@Chris K
I love how you call Shade Vortex and Doctor Dreadful idiots and “fanboy” when they didn’t even say anything fanboyish.
Get off Nintendo’s nuts.
I really think it IS a good thing…not just because I’ve been waiting for Nintendo and Sega to make a game for Sonic but because it has been what? 2 years since Sonic’s last game! I have been so excited I even know what the second new Sonic game is. *Spoiler* It’s the next Olympic Games one at Sochi(Russia). And other than Sonic: The Lost World, and the Olympics one, there will be a third game which is unknown to me.
I really hope Sega gets off the sinking ship known as the Wii U quick! As someone who loves Sega and couldn’t care less about whatever happens to Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft, I really hope Sega has received decent compensations from Nintendo for pulling this madness.
Sega needs revenues, and to maximize their revenues is to spread their titles to multiple platforms. They’ve already created a framework for that as well. (Hedgehog Engine anyone?) So, why would they deny the opportunity to maximize their profits by concentrate on a single console that isn’t even their own? Contrary to what anyone says, the next generation consoles are closer than ever. AMD APUs for the Xbox One and the PS4, and also an AMD GPU for Wii U means porting will be dead easy this time and no crazy developers and publishers will single out a platform just so they could concentrate on a single platform!
Can’t believe what I read here. This is just laughable. It’s ironic how everybody refers to SEGA fans being shortsighted and close-minded while this is probably the most shortsighted and close-minded article I ever read about the issue.
First off, your statement about how most SEGA fans have a Wii-U/3DS. That’s just complete bull****. There are people who like to play Sonic and people who don’t. It doesn’t matter what console he/she has.
Second, you speak as if a press conference is THE event that will decide whether a game gets attention or doesn’t. Blogs, forums, video announcements…there’s a lot the internet can do just a good as a press conference. Plus, a critics evaluation almost never decides a game’s sales.
Third, just because Yuji Naka was present during the Dreamcast era, does NOT mean he would instantly approve exclusive Nintendo games,and this is where I shall throw in in my own idea on Sonic games. You see, I know there are certain everlasting flaws in it’s 3d games: glitches, camera issues, loading times *dramatically rolls an eye towards Sonic ’06* and sometimes overly ridiculous plots and characters *keeps eye focused on Sonic ’06*. But 15 years of that has also brought some charm with it. Take the music for example. If there’s one holy light that can pull any Sonic game out from the depths, it’s the soundtrack. Awesome scores that perfectly synchronise with the game’s speed and fit into the beautifully colored stages. A while ago I listened to the Sonic Lost World OST. You know what I heard? Uninspired, cheesy bubblegum candy-pop that would even be too soft for a fairy-tale. It’s the kind of music a toddler might listen too to fall asleep, and that’s not what I want to feel while I rush through landscapes with my blue amigo.
Speaking of the stages. Just because Nintendo is taking over, doesn’t mean they’d have to turn the game into Mario Galaxy. The magic in Sonic for me was how it always differed from Mario. Mario jumped, Sonic ran. Mario battled a firebreathing mega-turtle, Sonic battled a fat Ted Roosevelt in a machine. Mario&Sonic at the Olympics were Mario and Sonic characters could meet on neutral grounds, but dragging Sonic into a Galaxy-esque world is just lazy and uncreative.
Fourth, it’s been over a year since you wrote this article. Now I don’t know where you live, but in this country over here, the PS4 and XboxOne did pretty good. Funny thing: I don’t know anybody that owns a Wii-U. I do know people that own a 3ds, but they also own PS3’s and not Wii-U. Conclusion: not everybody with a 3ds has a Wii-U. It depends on which console and which handheld people prefer. A Chinese man shouldn’t have to eat Chinese food every day just because he is Chinese right?
What i’m trying to say is: I’m afraid that Nintendo will slowly take the control of Sonic out of SEGA’s hands and transform Sonic into a new Mario, except blue and with quills. You may call me paranoid, but look at Lost World’s music and gameplay. It’s starting to smell like Mario’s toddler-friendly little world (nothing personal against my homeboy Mario though) and it doesn’t feel right.
Oh and Chris K, you should shut up and stop lashing out to people that disagree with you opinion. Being a game-nazi only adds to my idea that you are an insecure, intolerant little prick who clearly doesn’t inform his mommy about all the mean talk her child spews over the internet. If i’m wrong and you happen to be an adult, then I am very sorry. For your life being pathetic and such….
Amen