Sonic Boss: New Games Over Remakes, But He Hears You

Ever found yourself wishing for a Sonic Unleashed remaster? You're not alone. Takashi Iizuka, the head of Sonic Team, knows exactly what you want. In a recent interview with Automaton, he acknowledged the flood of requests from fans for remakes, remasters, and ports of classic Sonic titles. But here's the catch: he'd rather use those resources to make something new.

"We hear all sorts of requests from the fan community for remakes and remasters," Iizuka said, specifically nameing Sonic Unleashed as one he hears about a lot. But he explained that Sonic Team's resources are limited. "Rather than using those limited resources to make remakes and remasters, we have a stronger desire to provide fans with new games and deliver new surprises." So while your dream of a shiny new Sonic Unleashed might be on the wishlist, it's not at the top of theirs.

Iizuka didn't just brush off the idea, though. He pointed out that remaking an old game isn't as simple as it sounds. "Remaking an old game requires about as many resources as creating a new title," he noted. You have to rebuild all the graphics from scratch, and you can't just release the gameplay as it was back then because many things are deemed rough by modern standards. So even if they wanted to, it's not a quick copy-paste job.

That said, Sonic fans haven't been completely left in the dust. We got Sonic Colors Remastered, which was a bit of a mess, and Sonic Generations got a remaster that included a whole new game, similar to how Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury worked. But beyond those and yet another way to sell you the Mega Drive games, the obvious candidates for remakes have never been redone. It's a gap that many fans feel keenly.

Iizuka also shared a personal note: after 35 years, he sees the Sonic franchise "like my own son." The hedgehog is technically older than his human children, which is a fun bit of trivia. It shows just how much he cares about the blue blur's future.

So where does that leave you? If you're holding out for a Sonic Adventure 2 port on Switch 2 or PS5, or a full-on Sonic Unleashed remake, it might be a while. Iizuka's focus is on new experiences and surprises. But hey, at least he's listening. Maybe one day the stars will align.

What do you think? Should Sonic Team prioritize new games or give fans the remakes they've been begging for? Will you be picking up the next new Sonic game, or are you still waiting for that Unleashed remaster? Let us know in the comments!