{"id":73162,"date":"2026-09-30T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=73162"},"modified":"2026-09-30T17:06:04","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T08:06:04","slug":"does-turning-sonic-into-movies-and-anime-benefit-gamers-producer-takashi-iizuka-talks-about-how-the-transmedia-strategy-feeds-back-into-game-development-resources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/interviews\/does-turning-sonic-into-movies-and-anime-benefit-gamers-producer-takashi-iizuka-talks-about-how-the-transmedia-strategy-feeds-back-into-game-development-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"Does turning Sonic into movies and anime benefit gamers? Producer Takashi Iizuka talks about how the transmedia strategy feeds back into game development resources"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Sonic the Hedgehog<\/strong> series celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. At the recently held Tokyo Game Show 2026, SEGA exhibited several Sonic-related attractions, including playable demos for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and SONIC PICO PARK, as well as a live performance commemorating the 35-year milestone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sonic series is one of SEGA\u2019s flagship franchises, with the first game, Sonic the Hedgehog, launching for the Mega Drive back in 1991. Since then, the series has expanded in a variety of genres, and as of January 2026, it surpassed 1.77 billion units in cumulative sales. As SEGA\u2019s iconic mascot character, Sonic now appears not only in games, but across a wide range of media, including anime and movies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Tokyo Game Show 2026, we spoke with Takashi Iizuka, general producer of the Sonic series. We discussed his recent work, the impact of Sonic\u2019s multimedia expansion on the IP as a whole, and the circumstances behind Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds\u2019s Season Pass model, among other topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonic\u2019s reach continues to expand around the world<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2015As the producer of the Sonic series, you’ve virtually become the face of the franchise. After being involved with the series for so long, what does your role look like now when it comes to the creative side of things?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Takashi Iizuka (hereafter, Iizuka):<\/strong>
I am, of course, involved in various things, but my main profession is still making games, so my primary focus remains on developing new Sonic games. I\u2019m overseeing Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, as well as SONIC PICO PARK. I\u2019m also working on some new titles that I can\u2019t talk about yet, so games are still my main focus. That said, it\u2019s true that the proportion of my working time spent on actual game development has decreased… (laughs)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the films and the recently announced kids\u2019 anime series to be distributed via Netflix, the number of products related to the Sonic series has been increasing. I\u2019m keeping an eye on all of those as well. In that sense, my workload outside of game development has increased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Are you happy about having more work outside of game development, or does it make you feel a little sad?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Having more work outside of games means that the Sonic series has grown stronger as a brand, and that we have more opportunities to work with other people, so in that sense, it\u2019s a good thing. But if I go through an entire day without doing any game development work at all, I do get a little depressed (laughs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015When you supervise Sonic\u2019s multimedia projects, what sorts of things do you tend to point out?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
When it comes to movie adaptations, for example, they\u2019re produced by Paramount Pictures, so it\u2019s not a project where SEGA bears 100% of the responsibility. With projects like those, I try not to interfere with things like whether the story is good or bad. I mainly provide advice to preserve Sonic\u2019s character. For example, saying that Sonic wouldn\u2019t behave in a certain way, or that the character designs should be a certain way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Somewhat similar to licensing management?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Yes, something like that. However, there\u2019s a difference in that there isn\u2019t a predefined format. While the licensing department has guidelines based on which they give instructions, the work I do doesn\u2019t have any guidelines. When you\u2019re making a new movie or anime, there\u2019s no existing work to use as a reference, so that\u2019s my place to step in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2015So you\u2019re like a living guideline for the IP. You\u2019ve watched the Sonic series\u2019 history unfold over its 35 years. How do you perceive the different \u201ceras\u201d the series has gone through?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Speaking specifically about the Sonic games, the period from the birth of Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991 to around 1997 was the \u201cclassic\u201d era of the Sonic series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, Sonic Adventure came out in 1998, marking the \u201csecond generation\u201d era, in which Sonic began evolving into a new form that spoke and moved in 3D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I were to define one more major period, I\u2019d say it was around the time the movies came out. The first movie was released in 2020, and thanks to its success around the world, the Sonic franchise grew dramatically. We now have plans for up to a fourth movie, so in that sense, I feel that a new generation began in 2020, when the Sonic brand started to expand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015I feel like the Sonic series has settled into a fairly consistent pace of releasing one game a year.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Over the past 35 years, the Sonic series has released something new every year in one form or another. And by \u201csomething new,\u201d I don\u2019t just mean the mainline series. We\u2019ve continued releasing new titles in some form, whether mobile games or downloadable titles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, development cycles have become longer in recent years. In the past, we could develop games in around two years, so releasing something every year wasn\u2019t particularly difficult. But now, we have titles that take three or even five years to develop, so the intervals have become longer. That has made it more difficult to manage our lineup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Even so, you\u2019ve continued to release games rather consistently. And when you release during the holiday season, expectations from users must be particularly high.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
By having multiple titles in development simultaneously, we\u2019ve been able to deliver games properly, both in terms of quality and release timing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Is that something you\u2019ve only become able to do recently?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Yes, that\u2019s certainly something we couldn\u2019t have done under the old structure. A major factor is that the Sonic brand has grown stronger, which has allowed us to invest more money into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Even with that background, releasing a major title every year must be difficult.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
It really is difficult (laughs). Since development periods have gotten longer, it\u2019s obviously impossible to achieve that with a single development line, and it would still be difficult even with two lines. So, to make annual releases possible, we secure multiple development lines and work on the games simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015And on top of that, you also have to preserve the identity and quality of the Sonic series.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
I\u2019m currently in a position where I oversee all the titles as general producer. Each project has its own director and producer, with a structure in place for bringing it to completion. I oversee all of them as a whole, which allows us to maintain consistency in terms of the characters and overall balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past, when the Sonic series had a different organizational structure, each project evolved independently. One title might evolve in a certain way, while another title wouldn\u2019t inherit that evolution and would go off in a completely different direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, however, by managing game production as a whole, if one title develops a new move, for example, we can carry that move over into another title. Being able to maintain an overall balance even in terms of game design is a major benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015To dig a bit deeper into the topic of quality, Sonic games used to see fairly inconsistent reviews scores, whereas recent releases seem to have become more consistent. What do you think is the reason for that?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
The biggest factor is the resources we can allocate to them. When the Sonic brand was struggling, we simply had less money to invest in each title, so we had to make do with what we had. Now, however, expectations for the Sonic series have risen, and we have more resources to put into it. Being able to make games with greater care as a result of that is a major factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Would you say those parts of past games that made you think \u201cI wish this had been a little better\u201d were directly related to a lack of resources?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
I think the lack of resources was a very significant factor. Now that our development teams have grown considerably, if, for example, one title looks like it might not make its deadline, staff from elsewhere can come in to support the project, allowing us to maintain both quality and stay on schedule. We now have that kind of support structure within the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Compared to the past, do you feel there\u2019s more breathing room in development now?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Thanks to that support system, we\u2019re now in a position where we can properly deliver high-quality games to users. However, that also means the pressure has increased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015At this point, selling a million copies is almost a given for the Sonic series.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
We can\u2019t afford to let our Metacritic scores drop, either, so there\u2019s also more pressure to make games that can achieve high scores, as well as the dilemma of what to prioritize (laughs). I think game development is tough because it involves both kinds of struggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making movies and anime doesn\u2019t delay the games<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2015The Sonic series has been very active when it comes to multimedia or transmedia expansion. From a gamer\u2019s perspective, some might think, \u201cMultimedia is nice, but I\u2019d rather you just make more games.\u201d Does the expansion into other media have a positive effect on game development?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Of course it does. Take the movies, for example. Thanks to the movies, awareness of the Sonic series has grown, and more people around the world have become interested in Sonic as a character and in the games. That has contributed to game sales as well. Strong game sales mean we have more resources available when making the next title, which allows us to deliver something of even higher quality. That creates a positive cycle. In that sense, multimedia and transmedia expansion are majorly beneficial for the games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, we don\u2019t use the game developers\u2019 resources for transmedia projects, so you don\u2019t have to worry about a new game being delayed because we\u2019re making movies or anime (laughs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Among Sonic\u2019s various transmedia projects, have there been any that became popular beyond your expectations?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
The movies really were a bigger hit than we expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Did things become dramatically different for the IP after the movies were released?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Yes, it\u2019s completely different. Anime has also made a big difference. In particular, the rise of Netflix has been significant. In the past, even if we decided to make an anime as part of our transmedia strategy, we had to approach television broadcasters and other outlets that would air it, and we couldn\u2019t move forward without their approval. With Netflix, on the other hand, once we decide to work together on something, we can distribute it worldwide. That\u2019s has been a major advantage when it comes to expanding the brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015I hear that negotiating licensing agreements for separate regions can be really difficult.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
It really is a struggle when it comes to television anime. You have to approach each market individually, so you find yourself thinking, \u201cIt finally aired in France,\u201d or \u201cIt\u2019s finally out in Canada.\u201d With Sonic Boom, for example, we partnered with Cartoon Network to produce the first season, but the second season ended up being broadcast less widely. As a result, even though we made it, it wasn\u2019t particularly well known among the general public. That\u2019s why being able to partner with Netflix from the outset of a project is such a big deal for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We wanted people to keep playing Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds for a long time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds feels like a game that leans toward the live-service model. Was that the plan from the beginning?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
From the beginning, we strongly wanted to make it this way. The Sonic series has a lot of standalone games, but while they tend to generate a lot of excitement immediately after release, after a few months, everyone finishes them and stops playing. However, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is an online title, and we wanted people to keep playing it for a long time. To keep players engaged long-term, though, you inevitably need to add new content frequently, or they\u2019ll get bored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how do you keep adding content frequently? Development budgets aren\u2019t unlimited, so you need to recoup those costs. From there, the idea of charging for additional content through a Season Pass came about. The current business model essentially grew out of what we initially wanted to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015From your position as a business producer, are you interested in GaaS (games as a service)?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
GaaS is the mainstream model for mobile titles and the like, but it\u2019s not that I specifically wanted to make a GaaS game. Our primary goal was simply to make Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds a game that people would continue playing for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Having released Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds as a game that\u2019s closer to a live-service title, is there anything you\u2019ve learned from the experience?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds started from the question of how we could make people keep playing for a long time, so it was different from the framework of a conventional GaaS title from its inception. Meaning, we started out without thinking all that much about how we would make money from it. In the end, the fact that we could only secure additional development funding through the Season Pass model is something we also see as a lesson learned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015As a player, I do appreciate being able to play for a long time at this price.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
We made the plan from the perspective of the fans, and ended up putting profits second\u2026 Going forward, I\u2019d like us to find the right balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015(Laughs) Thank you. I imagine you have various titles in the works. What\u2019s your future vision when it comes to the kind of Sonic games you\u2019d like to make and expand the franchise with?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Personally, up until now, we\u2019ve been very focused on making Sonic action games in a fairly uncompromising way. But the fanbase has changed, in a sense. More people have become fans through the movies and anime, for example. In other words, people now have different points of contact with Sonic and different things they like about the character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given that environment, I think we may need to expand beyond those more hardcore action games and create Sonic titles with a broader appeal, so that new fans can also find games they can easily get into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2015I feel like the Sonic series hasn\u2019t been particularly active when it comes to remasters and remakes. What are your thoughts on that?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Yes, that\u2019s true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Back in the Wii era, there were some pretty adventurous takes on the series, such as Sonic and the Black Knight, where Sonic went on an adventure wielding a sword. It seems like there are many games like that which could be interesting to revisit through a remaster or more substantial remake.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
We hear all sorts of requests from the fan community for remakes and remasters, such as people asking us to port Sonic Unleashed. But our resources are limited\u2026 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With remakes and remasters, you\u2019re essentially providing the same experience again. But these days, remaking an old game requires about as many resources as creating a new title. You have to remake all the graphics, and you can\u2019t simply release the gameplay as it was back then because many things are deemed rough by modern standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015I understand. Even changing the screen from 4:3 to 16:9 isn\u2019t as simple as many might believe.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iizuka:<\/strong>
Exactly (laughs). So for now, I have a stronger desire to focus on new titles. That said, we do hear players\u2019 concerns about certain games being unplayable, so I\u2019d like to ask you to please wait a little longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015Thank you very much.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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