Nintendo could be trying to help SEGA save the Sonic franchise
During last week’s Nintendo Direct fans not only got news about Nintendo games but Sega and Sonic also got some love during the presentation. Last Friday it was announced that Nintendo and Sega formed a global partnership to bring the next three Sonic titles exclusively to Nintendo platforms. The first two games to be announced as part of the partnership are a new Mario & Sonic Winter Olympic crossover title and Sonic Lost World, a new Sonic action platformer exclusive to the Wii U and 3DS.
SEGA® of America Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced details of an exclusive partnership with Nintendo of America Inc. and Nintendo of Europe GmbH for the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. The new agreement will make Nintendo consoles the number one destination for Sonic gaming over the next three titles. The first two titles of the deal were announced today via Nintendo Direct, and details of the third Sonic title will be revealed at a later date.
“Sonic the Hedgehog has performed incredibly well on Nintendo platforms and this exclusive partnership is a natural fit for the next evolution of Sonic games” commented Jurgen Post COO SEGA Europe Ltd. “The Wii U and Nintendo 3DS are ideal platforms to showcase Sonic and we are looking forward to working with Nintendo on these three exciting adventures.” – Official Sega Blog
Nintendo is very busy trying to lure developers to their new console, Wii U, to try and help bolster the software library in hopes of increasing Wii U sales. Nintendo has given away free dev kits, visited developers, and even straight up funded development projects, such as Bayonetta 2. This new partnership with Sega could just be another attempt by Nintendo to try and get more consumers to make that jump over to the Wii U. But it is also possible that Nintendo could be trying to help Sega recapture what made their Sonic franchise great.
Sega has not had very much luck with the Sonic franchise when it comes to down to their platforming games. If Sega were to ask anyone for help with a Sonic platforming game, Nintendo would be the best choice. Nintendo has quite clearly made some of the best platformers in the history of video games. Could Nintendo actually be helping Sega revamp the Sonic platformer? It is possible but without more news about Sonic Lost World or the third exclusive Sonic title that is yet to be announced, it is hard to gauge what Nintendo’s involvement would be in development.
May 22, 2013
I think Nintendo recognize the strong fanbase for the Sonic titles. Even though the recent entries have tended to have mixed reviews, the Sonic games always seem to sell quite well … especially on Nintendo consoles.
If the new Sonic games are Nintendo exclusive, Sonic fans will have to plunk down for Nintendo hardware to play them … which could potentially mean millions of new Wii U & 3DS owners!
I do honestly think new Sonic games can be system sellers … the fans are very loyal and even though the more current titles have divided critics, it doesn’t seem to hurt sales to the core fanbase.
A very sound move for both Nintendo & Sega I think. Of course if Nintendo plays a bigger role in the next Sonic game, all the better!
May 22, 2013
Now that’s a beautiful mind! You talk gold bro!
May 22, 2013
Real talk, it was PS3 and Xbox fans who gave Sega a hard time with their 7th gen Sonic games. While one can argue that the quality of the games in this time was not that great, the vitriol Sonic Team and Sega in general got from them wasn’t equal to the mistakes made.
Naming games now, Sonic 2006 is universally considered terrible, but Sonic Heroes is better than it’s given credit for. Everything else is debatable in quality, but ‘fans’ didn’t give Sega credit for experimenting with new ideas, especially with the Storybook series. The debate should not exist in the form that it does for games like Sonic Generations and Sonic and the Secret Rings. There should be a wider acceptance these games are worth your money, in spite of subjective drawbacks.
And why would it matter what these fans thought? Because it translated to poor sales of these games in the last generation. Sonic could have been a big multiplatform franchise right now, but it’s the core gamers who’ve brushed him aside.
Sonic’s success on Nintendo consoles is not overwhelming, however, it’s light years better than the treatment its gotten from the core. It’s in Sega’s best interest to make Sonic games for them and only for them.
May 22, 2013
Oh the irony
December 31, 2013
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