A brief inside (and unflattering) look at Sonic Team

[BrainBoxLtd]

noname2200 said:

BrainBoxLtd said:

noname2200 said:

Is constantly shoving so many Sonic games out really that healthy for his image as a mascot? I understand the concern to maintain a market presence, but if the team that's primarily responsible has no passion for it, why force them to keep making it?

An excellent question, one which I can only answer with Sega's need to post healthy profits ASAP. Unfortunately, whoring out your star franchise is a diminishing-returns solution to that problem.

mike_intellivision said:
If I recall correctly, the Wii version got better reviews of Sonic Unleashed -- and Dimps (not Sonic Team) did the level design. There were people predicting that before the game was released as well, because Sonic Teams' reputation has become so poor.

It's a very, very bad sign when the best Sonic games are coming from teams besides Sonic Team, and when we're all pleased to see even a decent Sonic title (Secret Rings) when we are (and should be) outraged to see even a AA Mario platformer (Sunshine).

See's, that's what I don't understand. I understand that Sonic DOES still sell and earn SEGA money despite what's happen to it. I understand SEGA will want to keep releasing Sonic games as like as it earns a profit. I don't understand the need to keep forcing the same team to make these games if they both don't have a passion for it, and their games are generally not well received.

What's wrong with someone other then the Sonic Team making the best Sonic games? "Sonic Team" is just a damn name. Is it really just some sense of misplaced pride that SEGA's keeps making Sonic Team make Sonic games? Dimp's version of Sonic Unleashed was reviewed slightly better. Despite their version just be a downscaled port of HD game, they were complimented for better level design, less useless narrative, and better controls during the Werehog segments.

Why not just let Dimps or even some other company (other then BioWare) make Sonic games, and let the Sonic Team make something else? Dimps themselves already made Sonic Rush and Sonic Rush Adventure, which received pretty good reviews. If it's a matter of branding, just buy Dimps and rename them the Sonic Team. (After Mario and Sonic Olympics they surely can afford it.)

It just doesn't seem worth maintaing such a shallowed fracture image to keep forcing Sonic Team to do Sonic if they are as suggested sick of it.