Turning the Corner

The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has one of the most fascinating trajectories of any long-running series in gaming history. After bursting onto the scene in 1991 and immediately challenging Mario for the video-game throne, the series experienced two full decades of pronounced ups and devastating downs, thanks in large part to unrealistic deadlines, a misunderstanding of what fans wanted from the series, and an exclusive deal with the unpopular Wii U. Sonic was never gone, but the series became known for overpromising and underdelivering, leading to a meme known as the Sonic Cycle.

However, in the mid-2010s, a palpable shift occurred. That change coincided with Sega hiring Ivo Gerscovich as the chief brand officer for Sonic, serving as the head of business, while longtime Sonic designer and producer Takashi Iizuka continued to oversee the Sonic brand on the creative side. The pair worked together in a new Burbank, California office to identify where the brand had fallen short and chart a path forward for the franchise.