But “Can’t Say” Status of Episode III
While speaking to Eurogamer, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka dropped a big hint as to when we may see the next installment of the episodic Sonic the Hedgehog 4.
“…Moving forward to 2012, Sonic will still be going, so I’d hope to provide Episode 2 then,” Iizuka said.
That will make the road to Episode II longer than it already is; the potential now exists for two years to pass between releases. Iizuka told Eurogamer that is deliberate, with much recent effort going toward Sonic Generations.
“We knew about the anniversary year, and (Sonic) Generations was planned way in advance,” he continued. “It was always our plan to release Episode 2 after Generations.”
But Eurogamer suggests Episode II may be the last of Sonic’s experiments into the digital fray. Iizuka himself doesn’t seem sure of a third installment either.
“We can’t say if there’s going to be Episode 3 or not,” Iizuka explained.
Sega, for their part, didn’t say anything to supplement Iizuka’s remarks.
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Is Sonic 4 going to be SEGA’s Half Life when it comes to releases?
Great, after they’re done with that they can start making games for modern fans again.
Aww.
Looking forward to it with much anticipation, though I’ve gotta say I’m waiting more for M&S than EpsII. I really liked playing EpsI, so I don’t think I’ll be disappointed when II arrives.
Brace for impact!
Hopefully Iizuka and his team learned their lessons from episode 1, but I think he is bored of the Sonic 4 idea and wants to go back to doing self proclaimed gameplay innovations (I call them self proclaimed, because Iizuka has never in my mind made any useful innovations, except perhaps the wisps in Sonic Colors) .
Finally!
the apocalypse will come in 2012….they’re was saying the truth : O man, i would never think that it would be a fault of SEGA…..and Sonic…man…the worst scenario ever…
Sonic 4 III 2013 Sega 3 year later.
In other words: DIMPS is busy, brb. lol
I think they should just follow through and make more installments. The only problems Episode I had were questionable physics and lackluster levels that were really just remakes of past levels. If they fixed the physics in future episodes, gave them all-new levels, and created new enemies and bosses, I honestly think the series could last awhile. If they ever decide to make a Sonic 5 though, I think they should do what Capcom did for Mega Man 9 & 10, and use old school 16 or 18 bit graphics.
hmmm well I hate to say it…they started this…so might as well finish it…its not that bad is it? Yeah some things I do concurr are quite odd.
Unrelated note: Who felt the East coast earth quake? I felt a strange shift in my work room here at my house.
I know when its coming. Dec. 22nd 2012. XD
Well, Sonic Generations 3DS’s physics have been changing for the better, so let’s hope Dimps gets the message.
Dimpshit.
Didnt they say thau there will be a short time between each episodes?
If Episode II is indeed the last, it better be alot bigger than episode 1 for a start. If it had 8 original zones and bosses, and tweaked physics, maybe we can have a good, but inferior, sequel to S3&K. But I don’t think its ever going to be “Sonic 4 as you truly imagined it”.
Sonic 4 Episode II Zone 1…Physics Zone…Act III Boss Fight…The 90 degree angle of doom…lol
Abundant Booster Zone, ACT01: When this Baby Hits 88 Miles Per Hour…
Sonic Team, fix your shit, and make Episode 2 and 3. Don’t be petting the heads of the Sonic fans you deserted (Classic fans), then drop us again. I hope you have a great future in plan for us older fans. Sonic 4 episode 1 wasn’t what it should’ve been, but what it could be is something you should look forward to.
Oh, COME ON! Sega this is pathetic. If its meant to be an episodic series, the gap between episodes should not be two years apart! Was there any forward planning for this project at all?
@The Shadow Emperor
You’re a selfish idiot. Generations IS for Modern fans partly- it’s for everyone! Isn’t that and Colors enough for you? If not, there was also Free Riders, there’s M&S, and then there’s also Sonic 4- because like it or not, regardless if Sonic 4 was meant to please the Classic fans, it ended up pleasing the modern fans more, since they tend to care less about physics, level design, and Sonic’s appearance. And you are the more likely fans to be appeased with future games, anyways.
Well received by idiotic moron reviewers and other clueless fools, and successful with sycophants who bought 3 copies so they could kiss Ruby and Ken’s asses to get their names read out.
@Shade: I partially disagree with your post; in terms of level design and character design.
@Sonical: I completely disagree with you, as usual.
Honestly, Sega needs to pull a Valve with this. Look into the Sonic fanbase, hire some of the guys behind Sonic Megamix, Sonic Classic and Sonic Nexus and work with them as EQUALS in developing the next Sonic 4 installment.
I’m 100% certain that it would make far more money, get much higher reviews, and bring in more of the fanbase then what Sonic 4 Eps. 1 did. Don’t get me wrong, Eps 1 was fun, but some of it still lacked the spark (and it lacked the physics), both of which much of the fan community has had no problems replicating.
Then again, Generations seems like it’s recovered much of that spark, so maybe if that same team tackles Eps II, it could turn it around, but Sega’s politely overlooking a wealth of untapped talent within their fanbase. Look at the success of Portal (originally a flash game and then a mod for the source engine) or Counterstrike. Valve hired the modders, works with them as equals (albeit experienced) and creates AAA+ experiences. Crud, even DotA 2 is Valve grabbing another modder and making his original something bigger.
If Sega plays nice with the fanbase, they could have all the star Sonic games they’d need. I would happily shell out $10-15 for a completed copy of Sonic Nexus.
@Amuro
You just wrote what could have been the best Sonic Generations plot idea ever.
Regarding your comments to Shade, he said they “tend” to care less about that sort of thing. Meaning that isn’t true for ALL modern fans, just a significant majority.
Also, you shouldn’t COMPLETELY disagree with Sonical. He has a point about the multiple copy ass-kissing thing, if nothing else.
@ChaoticFox:
1) Glad to know you liked the joke! XD I still like Sonic 4, but that game got fucking crazy with the speed boosters.
2) I suppose you have a point.
If there is an Episode III, it better not come out in 2014. >_>
And I honestly wouldn’t mind if Episode II was the last episode in Sonic 4. Then again, after seeing Generations’s improved physics, I’m starting to have second thoughts….
@Shade
I agree with your first sentence. You’d swear Sonic Team put the entire franchise on hold to get Sonic 4 out, and Colors and Generations never existed. “Classic fans” have been left in the dark by ST for over a decade, and this half-assed Sonic 4 (which by reading this article, seems to be off little interest to ST so they’re considering ending it prematurely) is the only recognition the classic fans have gotten.
Sonic 4 deserves to be done justice, because, well its Sonic 4… If your not going to put in the effort name it something else at least lol.
I think that Sonic 4 ep II is probably, along with Mario & Sonic 3DS, going to be the only Sonic game releases for next year. It seems that everyone is invested in creating Generations. Even to the point where Dimps is to busy to create it ( Since it seems that they have gotten their act together with the new builds of Generations 3DS.)
I would totally fall to the floor in laughter if Sonic 4 Ep II had Sonic uncurling especially after they fixed it for classic Sonic in Generations 3DS
@ Gooch: I think that Generations is been considered a better attempt to recognize Classic Sonic fans. Especially since everyone was complaining that Modern Sonic was the protagonist and not Classic Sonic.
I hope they’re spending all this time on changing everything that everyone complained about…
@Sonical
…Do you happen to be jasonchrist on the Sonic Retro forums? Your post seems very similar.
Well, it’s not that much of a lost to me : / Sonic 4 felt like it was tiring too hard to please the classic fans. People are acting like it’s some huge loss, as if Sonic 4 was the best Sonic game in years, when Really it was more of Rush, with a classic skin.
Aww man
@a132
That can’t be right. Dimps also did Colors DS which came out shortly after Sonic 4, and people liked Colors DS. o0
Dimps is also working on Generations 3DS alongside Sonic Team, who are also working on Generations PS360. But Generations PS360′s started developement since shortly after Unleashed, meaning Colors had to have only started shortly before Generations by another group of people sharing a few of the same members most likely.
I think if Sonic 4 is being made at least 2 other Sonic games are being made by other groups as well. Probably Sonic 4, a spinoff and a mainstream game. The spinoff/party game and the mainstream games are usually some months apart allowing 2-3 games a year as the mainstream games come out about every 2 years. idk the true statistics. This is just my guess/estimation based on some past games. x.x
Oh well.
@Amuro: Dimpshit.
Win.
SEGA + Valve = Not making episode 3
Sonic 4 is a waste.
I’m glad Iizuka’s having second thoughts of continuing Sonic 4 in an episodic manner. Was never a big fan of episodic games and like many other gamers, I’m STILL waiting for Half-life 2: Episode 3.
@Amuro
Dimpshit and Abundant Booster Zone Act 1: When this baby hits 88 MPH. Epic win, my friend. Epic Win.
@Viking ZX
If Sega/Sonic Team/Iizuka hired the guys behind Sonic Fan Remix, Sonic Megamix, and Sonic Nexus, the Blue Blur would have some very good 2D games in the future after Generations’s released. So I fully agree with your post.
@QueitGuy: Even with all its problems, I still enjoyed Sonic 4. ^^