With Numerous Classic Characters Making Comebacks, it's Time for a Return for Sonic
Thursday, 31st May 2018, 9:20pm (UTC), 0 Comments
In recent years there has been a huge upsurge in the amount of retro gaming experiences offered, with a vast number of classic characters and games being rebooted and making successful comebacks. For this reason, the time is ripe for Sega’s most recognizable and iconic character to make a return. It has recently been announced that a Sonic the Hedgehog movie will be released at the end of 2019, and this in turn could spark a massive reboot of the franchise.



One of the most notable success stories of rebooted games in recent history was when Niantic released Pokémon Go in 2016. The augmented reality offering was a modern day reimagining of the much-loved Nintendo game of old, and it was met with immense commercial success. The game, which required players to actually go on the hunt for Pokémon in the real world has been downloaded over 750 million times and is continuing to undergo updates and attract new players. It drew upon the nostalgia of players who enjoyed the Nintendo Game Boy offerings from 1996, but also attracted new players by providing a totally unique experience.

The original Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis was released in 1991, and quickly became one of the best-loved titles on the Sega consoles. In Lottoland’s blog, the author points to this era being the rise of console gaming, with characters like Sonic helping to push it along. Because the blue speedster was popular at around the same time as the Game Boy Pokémon games, Sega will surely be thinking that they can tap into audiences of a similar age who miss this golden era. Of course, to bring in the new crowd they will have to introduce a new innovation for the modern player as Niantic did with Pokémon Go and the use of AR.

The Sonic film was announced in 2014 and is being produced as a joint venture between Paramount Pictures, Original Film, Sega, Marza Animation Planet, and Blur Studio. It has been reported to be a live action and CGI hybrid which is being written by Evan Susser and Van Robichaux, with James Marsden in the lead role. This all sounds promising, and if the creators of the film manage to get it right it could spark a comeback for the franchise.

Games franchises nowadays tend to spill over onto various different platforms in an effort to attract as many players as possible. Hitman and Tomb Raider are prime examples of games which have also become commercially successful as films. But it can work the other way as well. Jurassic World has led to a number of games coming about such as Jurassic World Alive, and the Sonic the Hedgehog movie may pave the way for more Sonic games.

Sonic lovers will be beside themselves with excitement about the prospect of the legendary character returning in many different forms. A live action film will surely be awesome, but the thought of Sonic games rebooted using modern technology is perhaps an even more tantalising thought.
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