It could be argued that Sonic the Hedgehog games tend to be divisive because some fans prefer 2D games while others like the series better in 3D. As the series has more frequently put out 3D Sonic adventures, some fans have been left out as a result. Sega seems to have noticed this in recent years, and it's become a common marketing strategy to release a 3D game alongside a 2D one to make as many fans happy as possible.

In recent interviews, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka has stated this is a strategy Sega wishes to use going forward following the success of the franchise in 2019, which saw the release of Sonic Forces and Sonic Mania. However, other interviews with Iizuka have revealed that there are no plans for Sonic Mania 2, and there aren't many options for 2D collections after Sonic Origins. It begs the question of what Sega could be planning to continue the trend of releasing two different Sonic the Hedgehog games going forward.

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Sonic the Hedgehog's Dual Releases

sonic-forces-and-sonic-mania-together

Even though Sonic Mania was delayed a few months, it still released in the same year as Sonic Forces. The two games tied into each other through the mysterious new Phantom Ruby, and they ended up balancing each other out financially for Sega as 2D fans bought Sonic Mania and 3D fans bought Sonic Forces. According to Sega, the fact that both of these titles came out within the same year was a great success, which has led to the dual release strategy a second time.

In 2022, Sonic Frontiers and Sonic Origins are both set to be released. While Origins had a bit of rough start as developers at Headcannon have voiced they were "unhappy" with the game at launch, fans are keeping their eyes on Frontiers as Sonic's first open-world adventure. Even though Sega has yet to see if Frontiers and Origins can match the success of Mania and Forces, the company currently intends to keep up the trend.

Potential 2D Sonic Releases

Classic Sonic Mania Trailer Sketch

The idea of Sega continuing to release 2D Sonic games is sure to make any Classic Sonic fan excited, but it's worth questioning how this marketing strategy is meant to continue. Sonic Mania developers have moved on to create their own games, stating a sequel isn't in the works at this time. That means any new 2D Sonic games might need to come from Sonic Team itself, which seems unlikely as the studio seems more focused on 3D titles.

Sega could be looking to release more collections like Sonic Origins in the future, but there aren't many games left to use. While there are a few titles that could be ported to current console generations such as Knuckles' Chaotix, SegaSonic the Hedgehog, and Sonic R, these games would be hard to fit a collection that makes sense. The only games that could arguably fit well into a compilation title would be the Sonic Game Gear games, but those are already found in Sonic Adventure DX - the most available version of Adventure on the market.

Despite the fact that Sega needs to look at what it wishes to do regarding future 2D game releases, the strategy of making sure both 2D and 3D Sonic fans have something to look forward to is a great idea. However, there's a chance that even though Sega is sticking by these plans, it might be waiting to commit to the idea until it can see the sales of Sonic Origins and Sonic Frontiers. If the strategy continues to be a success, the next set of titles will most certainly be 2D and 3D once again.

There's a chance that Sega is waiting to compare Sonic Mania's sales with Origins'. These two are the most recent 2D releases for the series, and may give the company a clear idea on whether fans want compilation titles or new 2D games instead. It's clear that Mania answered a demand, becoming the highest-rated Sonic game in years. It's unknown how Sega will handle 2D Sonic games going forward, but current sales numbers could point to where the blue hedgehog is headed next.

Sonic Origins is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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