Sega puts new Sonic games ahead of remakes and remasters

• According to Iizuka, a modern remake takes almost as much work as a new game because graphics and gameplay often have to be rebuilt.
• Fans are still asking for re-releases, including Sonic Unleashed, but Sega has not announced anything concrete.

What happened

Takashi Iizuka said in an interview with Automaton that Sega would rather make new Sonic games than spend development time on remakes or remasters. Kotaku later reported on those comments and quoted Iizuka’s explanation that the studio is focusing its available resources on new projects. In that coverage, the core of his message was summed up as a preference for new content over re-releasing older Sonic titles.

Iizuka said Sega does hear fan requests. In that context, he mentioned older Sonic titles that players would like to see return, including Sonic Unleashed. Kotaku specifically cited that game as one fans are asking for, but no concrete remake or remaster was announced in the information available.

According to Iizuka, remakes are also nearly as labor-intensive as making a completely new game these days. He said older games often need not only their visuals rebuilt, but also their gameplay adjusted, because it can feel outdated by current standards. That, he suggested, is why Sega would rather put development capacity into a new Sonic project than into a major overhaul of an older release.

There is no announcement from Sega for a new remake or remaster in the available information. Based on Iizuka’s comments, the priority remains new Sonic projects, while fan requests for re-releases remain unanswered for now.

Background

Takashi Iizuka is the long-time producer of the Sonic the Hedgehog series and one of the key figures behind Sega’s Sonic strategy. His comments concern how Sega handles older games in the Sonic catalog and what role re-releases may still play. The discussion is therefore not about a single standalone project, but about the broader strategy for one of Sega’s best-known franchises.

The core of his explanation is practical: according to him, a modern remake requires so much work on visuals, technology, and gameplay that the difference from a new entry becomes small. As a result, Sega chooses to put development capacity mainly into new releases, Iizuka said. In Kotaku’s summary of his comments, that includes not just rebuilding graphics, but also updating mechanics that may feel outdated by current standards.

That reasoning fits the way Sega has positioned the Sonic series in recent years, with new releases and other projects taking priority. In the broader context around this topic, Sonic is still being actively developed as a brand, including through recent franchise announcements. That makes Iizuka’s statement especially relevant as an indicator of Sega’s current development direction, rather than proof that older titles are permanently ruled out.

For fans, that means requests for specific older Sonic games, such as Sonic Unleashed, are being heard but do not automatically lead to an announced project. The available sources do not mention a release date, platform, or development studio for a possible remake or remaster. There is also no official plan or timeline for a re-release of an existing Sonic title in the information provided.

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Sources

• Kotaku: Sonic Boss Apologizes To Fans For Lack Of Remasters And Remakes
• Automaton interview with Takashi Iizuka