What Can We Expect From The Next Generation Of Sonic Fans and The Future of The Sonic Games?

[Redemption]

What Can We Expect From The Next Generation Of Sonic Fans and The Sonic Games? This is the question that has been going off in my head as we have had various things going on this week centered around Sonic and his franchise. We all know that Craig Roger Smith the Va who managed to voice Sonic for 10 years (A full decade!!!) has gone. Some are not even giving him a good sendoff they are ridculing him and making him feel like garbage!

Pontiac and Graff are moving on. So what we lost the writers too! How do we know the franchise is in good hands? How do we know that we aren't going from the frying pan into the fire! So it's not just about us anymore it's about the future of Sonic and gaming itself. How is the Sonic Team gonna pull themselves together before the fanbase has had enough and quits on them?

Sonic fans are making a name for themselves as it is as no good, ridaculing, entitled, shitty devaint art losers! They are not only making that image for themselves but the whole franchise and i can bet you 9 out of 10 times you are guy (girl) who doesn't like it cause i don't. People want quality and just a well made game that we can enjoy is that too much to ask! If their going to do their part the fans have to do their's and believe in the franchise again and stop expecting the worse result possible.

So i ask you again What Can We Expect From The Next Generation Of Sonic Fans and The Sonic Games?

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Hard to say until they come online and join the online community, but I can see some patterns arising.

I expect previous generation of fans to be upset and bitter at the changes in the new generation of the series as tends to happen every time there’s a shift. Then the new generation retaliates by mocking past elements, and neither side wanting others to simply enjoy Sonic.

But given how long Sonic has been around, I also expect more people to see this pattern and call it out compared to the past. Hopefully we learn something out of all of this, but if we suffer a repeat of the series hitting a snag, well expect to also see somewhat of a repeat of history in the fandom.

Been noticing a lot of things coming full circle these days.

[Kuzu]

I can assure you that the people who don't like whatever direction Sonic heads towards, will just straight up leave the fanbase. That's pretty much the only logical outcome, if something isn't giving you what you want, it's only logical to move on. But I also know that a lot of Sonic fans have trouble letting shit go and cling to a small hope that the series will shift in their direction again. 

Its really difficult to say given we don't know anything yet, but I can assure you that people who liked the "Meta era" of Sonic will probably be the most vocal fans as the elements that defined the series for them are being shifted out in favor of something else, which has already happened twice before.

I've been bringing this up a lot lately and it's something that others have noticed too, but things just seem to come full circle in the series. The Meta era fans are now in the same position that Classic and Adventure fans were before, and they will likely be the ones who are doing the most complaining within the next decade. 

 

I think we've reached a point though where the older fans have taken noticed of these patterns, so it might help temper things a bit depending on where we go. 

[Multikaris]

Adventure fans will be split between enjoying whatever replaces the Meta era for a few games and then losing interest or getting angry, counter-heckling the upset Meta fandom, or leaving the franchise in disgust, just as how the classic fans did with Colors-Lost World. Most of the ones who left in disgust back then didn’t leave until Rise of Lyric, however. 
 

Whatever Classic fans are remaining will be giving the era a chance, and overall remaining in their Classic fan circles. Mainstream media is the biggest wild card here.

[Rabbitearsblog]

It's hard to say since we haven't seen any games from the new era yet.

But, it's safe to say that the fans of the era that started with Sonic Colors and ended with Sonic Forces will start complaining about how the newer games aren't as good as the games from the Sonic Colors - Sonic Forces era.  Also, there might be some Adventure and Classic fans who will still hate on the newer games because it's "not their Sonic."

I also suspect that we might see more people calling out the haters in the community since social media like Twitter is becoming a thing now than it was when Sonic Colors or Sonic Adventure first came out.  So hopefully, this will at least be a wake up call to some of the haters in the community to not be so heated with their insults (like issue death threats)  if the franchise doesn't go the way they wanted to.

But, I guess we'll have to wait and see where the franchise goes beyond this point.  Hopefully, it will be in a more positive direction.

[Redemption]

35 minutes ago, Rabbitearsblog said:

It's hard to say since we haven't seen any games from the new era yet.

What kind of games would you guys like to see from the new era? 

5 hours ago, CrownSlayer’s Shadow said:

 

But given how long Sonic has been around, I also expect more people to see this pattern and call it out compared to the past. Hopefully we learn something out of all of this, but if we suffer a repeat of the series hitting a snag, well expect to also see somewhat of a repeat of history in the fandom.

Been noticing a lot of things coming full circle these days.

How can we stay optimistic about this franchise and the fanbase while still being in the dark about these new 5 projects coming from Sega

Ign has always had it out for Sonic do you think that will ever change?

[Multikaris]

I wonder if SEGA will chase the “female lead” trend exemplified with Star Wars sequel trilogy, DanganRonpa V3, Ghostbusters 2016, etc. that’s been going on? 

[Redemption]

Just now, Snowragnarok said:

I wonder if SEGA will chase the “female lead” trend exemplified with Star Wars sequel trilogy, DanganRonpa V3, Ghostbusters 2016, etc. that’s been going on? 

If this happened which female in particular would you go with?

Are you guys okay with these recent changes? if not why?

How long do you think this franchise will stay afloat?

Why do you think most of us are compelled to be Sonic fans in the first place?

 

[Multikaris]

32 minutes ago, Redemption said:

If this happened which female in particular would you go with?

Are you guys okay with these recent changes? if not why?

How long do you think this franchise will stay afloat?

Why do you think most of us are compelled to be Sonic fans in the first place?

 

Probably a new character akin to the aformentioned Rey, Kaede, etc.

[Rabbitearsblog]

1 hour ago, Snowragnarok said:

I wonder if SEGA will chase the “female lead” trend exemplified with Star Wars sequel trilogy, DanganRonpa V3, Ghostbusters 2016, etc. that’s been going on? 

That would be nice to have.  I wouldn't mind seeing Amy Rose or Blaze the Cat get their own games.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Rabbitearsblog said:

That would be nice to have.  I wouldn't mind seeing Amy Rose or Blaze the Cat get their own games.

Amy is NOT lead material. Not as she currently is. They'd really need to give her some character development.

Blaze on the other hand, would be cool.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Or ideally they could make Amy a game where she’s a lead which would in turn give her character development at the same time rather than waiting until some unspecified point in time to do it.

You’d have to start at some point.

3 hours ago, Redemption said:

 

How can we stay optimistic about this franchise and the fanbase while still being in the dark about these new 5 projects coming from Sega

Ign has always had it out for Sonic do you think that will ever change?

I honestly wish I could tell you, but it really just depends on what’s delivered.

The best bet is to hope that things don’t end up a repeat of past mistakes and fumbles. Says a lot that Sonic is still going strong when games like ShTH and 06 might’ve ended any other franchise’s life before coming strong with Unleashed, so the saving grace here is that some moments have diamonds in the rough.

[Wildcat]

This is the same topic as Rabbitearsblog which was started first. These should be merged.

To answer the Sonic fan base is in no way the most divisive fan base. Every single thing in pop culture has naysayers, nitpicking and people who complain about really dumb things. I see it with everything. There will always be those that find something to be against if just to keep claiming the Classic era (or whatever) was the best.

You can literally pick any big franchise and swap discussions throughout the internet. The only difference would be names. People’s reaction to Ghostbusters 2016 was one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen. GB is one my favorites too. I would not have done a reboot but I still enjoyed the movie and the new stuff it tried. Some have even criticized Afterlife “for reasons”.

Sonic is an icon in pop culture and has had success in all major media. He will be fine even though some like to think the franchise is in disarray because of this and that. Everything goes through ups and down. The only real problem I’ve had with recent games were they’re too short or too easy. Other stuff people criticize never bothered me. Some complaints are valid but people tend to go overboard...with everything. Not just Sonic.

[Rabbitearsblog]

8 hours ago, Wildcat said:

This is the same topic as Rabbitearsblog which was started first. These should be merged.

To answer the Sonic fan base is in no way the most divisive fan base. Every single thing in pop culture has naysayers, nitpicking and people who complain about really dumb things. I see it with everything. There will always be those that find something to be against if just to keep claiming the Classic era (or whatever) was the best.

You can literally pick any big franchise and swap discussions throughout the internet. The only difference would be names. People’s reaction to Ghostbusters 2016 was one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen. GB is one my favorites too. I would not have done a reboot but I still enjoyed the movie and the new stuff it tried. Some have even criticized Afterlife “for reasons”.

Sonic is an icon in pop culture and has had success in all major media. He will be fine even though some like to think the franchise is in disarray because of this and that. Everything goes through ups and down. The only real problem I’ve had with recent games were they’re too short or too easy. Other stuff people criticize never bothered me. Some complaints are valid but people tend to go overboard...with everything. Not just Sonic.

I agree that the Sonic fanbase is not the only divisive fan base.  Just look at how torn the fanbase for Star Wars is due to the prequel, original and Disney era films being released and having different takes on the characters, which led to some pretty nasty arguments among the fandom about which era was the best for Star Wars.  There will always be people who are critical of the franchise and the directions they take no matter what fanbase it is.

 I also never understood why some people said that the Sonic franchise is in "a drought" when the movie clearly did well in the box office and now there's a new Sonic TV series coming up.  I say that at this point, Sonic is becoming more successful.  Although, I can see their point when discussing about the state of the video games.  The video games haven't been doing that well and I'm assuming that SEGA saw this and they wanted to do something different with the franchise from this point forward to rejuvenate the franchise again.  Let's hope that SEGA took these criticisms and actually start improving the games from this point forward.

[Redemption]

How do you think we have grown as a fanbase? and is this growth good or bad?

17 minutes ago, Rabbitearsblog said:

a new Sonic TV series coming up

What do you want this to be? Do you think it could be a revival of a past series?

When did Sonic stand out to you as a fan?

 

[SonicFanForLife]

People say there is a "drought" because from 1991 - 2013 we were getting at least one Sonic game per year. Sometimes even two. No one wants to count the Sonic Boom games as actual Sonic games, so it seemed like a "drought" between 2013 and 2017. (I guess Mario and Sonic doesn't count either.) Now, we haven't had a Sonic game since 2017. (If you don't count Mania Plus or Team Sonic Racing) Sega should produce some smaller Sonic games like they did for the handheld devices in the early 2000s. (Like Sonic Rush, Rivals, etc.) Then, it wouldn't seem like such a "drought" between main releases. Fans should be a bit more understanding, though, because video games now take a lot more time to make than they did two decades ago. That's why some more smaller, Genesis/Advance/DS style games should be made. Modern in style and design, but simple, like Sonic Mania.

[Tarnish]

What Can We Expect From The Next Generation Of Sonic Fans and The Future of The Sonic Games?

Cringe. Lots and lots of cringe.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

20 hours ago, Kuzu said:

I can assure you that the people who don't like whatever direction Sonic heads towards, will just straight up leave the fanbase.

Heh, if only it were that simple.

7 minutes ago, Tarnish said:

What Can We Expect From The Next Generation Of Sonic Fans and The Future of The Sonic Games?

Cringe. Lots and lots of cringe.

Well that's needlessly being rude to people you haven't even met yet.

[Tarnish]

27 minutes ago, Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon said:

Well that's needlessly being rude to people you haven't even met yet.

Well for the 'Next Generation Of Sonic Fans', the cringe era Sonic games are gonna be the ones they played and gonna be nostalgic about. So they'll probably want even more of that because for them, that is what Sonic is.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

2 minutes ago, Tarnish said:

Well for the 'Next Generation Of Sonic Fans', the cringe era Sonic games are gonna be the ones they played and gonna be nostalgic about. So they'll probably want even more of that because for them, that is what Sonic is.

So, kinda being overly presumptuous there, not gonna lie. Honestly, it seems like this franchise brings you nothing but misery and trying to impart it unto others doesn't really seem that productive a thing to do.

[Tarnish]

5 minutes ago, Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon said:

So, kinda being overly presumptuous there, not gonna lie. Honestly, it seems like this franchise brings you nothing but misery and trying to impart it on others doesn't really seem that productive a thing to do.

Am I wrong perhaps that when people are nostalgic about something, they prefer things that remind them of that? That's why we're in the era of remakes and reboots, because a ton of people are nostalgic about old games, who now have disposable income.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

1 minute ago, Tarnish said:

Am I wrong perhaps that when people are nostalgic about something, they prefer things that remind them of that?

No, but I don't really see the need or even get what you're talking about with inflammatory remarks like the Cringe Era or just spouting to expect cringe from new Sonic fans incoming. It just comes off as pompous. 

[Redemption]

1 minute ago, Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon said:

So, kinda being overly presumptuous there, not gonna lie. Honestly, it seems like this franchise brings you nothing but misery and trying to impart it unto others doesn't really seem that productive a thing to do.

I agree the reason i made this topic is not to be a downer and put down the series but to discuss what we can do to lift it up.

You don't have to like the Sonic franchise, but if you liked the character himself it would be nice for you to contribute to change instead of dwelling on the past.

[Rabbitearsblog]

46 minutes ago, SonicFan2832 said:

People say there is a "drought" because from 1991 - 2013 we were getting at least one Sonic game per year. Sometimes even two. No one wants to count the Sonic Boom games as actual Sonic games, so it seemed like a "drought" between 2013 and 2017. (I guess Mario and Sonic doesn't count either.) Now, we haven't had a Sonic game since 2017. (If you don't count Mania Plus or Team Sonic Racing) Sega should produce some smaller Sonic games like they did for the handheld devices in the early 2000s. (Like Sonic Rush, Rivals, etc.) Then, it wouldn't seem like such a "drought" between main releases. Fans should be a bit more understanding, though, because video games now take a lot more time to make than they did two decades ago. That's why some more smaller, Genesis/Advance/DS style games should be made. Modern in style and design, but simple, like Sonic Mania.

I agree that the video game landscape has changed a lot over the years.  Back then, most games were in 8 bit or 16 bit, so they didn't have to spend a lot of time in making the gameplay seem cinematic like they do nowadays or even hire that many voice actors to voice the characters.  Nowadays, most video games tend to have a cinematic story line and have more to work with in terms of gameplay, so it would take more time to make games than it was when they first started out.  Trying to push out a new Sonic game every year might cause SEGA to rush out the game instead of taking their time to develop the games.  What SEGA needs to do if they want to push out a new Sonic game every year is to have different people work on each game, like say DIMPS could work on some Sonic games like they did in the past, and therefore, still give the team enough time to work on the games instead of making the crew rush through the games to get them out on time.

[Redemption]

Can we count ourselves lucky as Sonic fans? If so how?

If 3d gameplay takes over what will you miss the most from the 2d games?