Remakes and remasters are currently dominating the video game landscape. While I'm not particularly fond of this trend, it's undeniable that many players wish for more remastered and remade versions of their favorite games. As a result, the head of Sega's Sonic franchise has had to explain to the player base that, despite calls for remakes, the team prefers to develop new titles—a reasonable, if somewhat regrettable, stance.
In a recent interview with Automaton, Takashi Iizuka, producer of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, was asked why there are so few remakes and remasters in the Sonic franchise. Admittedly, the series isn't completely devoid of such releases, but compared to other IPs like Resident Evil, the number is significantly lower. The Sonic series lead explained that this is due to limited team resources, which they prefer to allocate toward developing new games, even if it disappoints some fans.
Takashi Iizuka stated, "We have received numerous requests from the fan community for remakes and remasters, such as many people hoping for a port of Sonic Unleashed. However, our resources are limited. Rather than using these limited resources for remakes and remasters, we would prefer to bring players entirely new games and deliver fresh surprises."
"Remakes and remasters essentially allow players to experience the same content again. However, nowadays, the resources required to remake an old game are nearly comparable to those needed for developing a new one. All visuals must be recreated, and gameplay mechanics cannot simply be copied from the original design, as many aspects appear too rough by modern standards."
Takashi Iizuka also agreed with the interviewer's point that remaking and remastering old games is not as simple as some people think. Therefore, he prefers to use the available time and budget to focus on creating brand-new gaming experiences.
"Currently, I prefer to concentrate my efforts on new projects," said Takashi Iizuka. "However, we have heard players' concerns and understand that some older games are now difficult to access. Please give us a little more time."
Personally, I don't expect any remakes or remasters, but I do hope that more classic Sonic titles will be made available on modern consoles in the future for easier access. In my view, this is a better way to preserve the series' legacy without expending significant resources on full remakes. Regardless, if you're still holding out hope for a Sonic Unleashed remake, I'm afraid you'll have to keep dreaming.