2014 is The Year Of Sonic "& Sports tape" *see post 1*

[Tani Coyote]

Did Dimps make any good games in the platforming genre before being given the task of making Sonic, however?

BRB has vets from Sony, and if Sony can deliver anything it's consistent quality. Particularly with regards to platforming.

[VO.SUPER]

Didn't Dimps do the advance and rush games? I thought those were pretty good.

[Tani Coyote]

Quick research says yes, yes they did.

They fell from grace, but they're also a Japanese company. The real reason to be hyped for BRB isn't just the fact it's not Sonic Team, or ex-Naughty Dog people, but the fact they're a Western company that will most likely be more in touch with what Western consumers will want.

There are of course crappy Western companies too (I'm looking at you, EA), but the fact Sonic seemed to have his best years when the West was directing the bulk of things lends confidence to this move. The Naughty Dog credentials leave me reason to be optimistic on this front as Naughty Dog is fairly solid with what it makes as a company, and presumably anyone who worked with it will be the same.

[Mauro Fonseca]

Sonic's best years were still led by Japanese, only located in the US. Saying Sonic's ever had both success and leadership by actualy Western Studios is facetious.

[Sitronhog]

Does anybody know if Sega are going to release Sonic Boom in Europe? Both the game and the TV Series? as far as I know, Sonic Boom is mainly for western audience and currently Sonic Boom is not going to be released in Japan. I don't know if they mean both the TV Series and the Game or just one of them. But I haven't heard or find anything about Sonic Boom in Europe. I'm really hyped for both the game and the TV series. But I don't want to get all excited about playing the game and such if Sega are not even gonna release it in Europe :/

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

Does anybody know if Sega are going to release Sonic Boom in Europe? Both the game and the TV Series? as far as I know, Sonic Boom is mainly for western audience and currently Sonic Boom is not going to be released in Japan. I don't know if they mean both the TV Series and the Game or just one of them. But I haven't heard or find anything about Sonic Boom in Europe. I really hyped for both the game and the TV series. But I don't want to get all excited about playing the game and such if Sega are not even gonna release it in Europe :/

Its being made by a French studo, and last I heard they were still looking for distibutors however, so cartoon for sure, game is extremely likely

[Marcello]

It already has a channel to air on in France, so yeah. The game will come at the same time as usual. The show might take a bit longer to get to other European countries.

[Tani Coyote]

Sonic's best years were still led by Japanese, only located in the US. Saying Sonic's ever had both success and leadership by actualy Western Studios is facetious.

Years where the West still had a great deal of independence and input, however. There's a reason the Japanese executives tended to get fairly grumpy if you ever suggested trying to emulate SEGA West's methods - the West knew how to sell Sonic, Japan did not.

And that's where my optimism for this is coming from: the West once more is leading the way with Japanese oversight, as it was back then.

I think Japan's ultimate frustration is not only that the Western branches tended to be rebellious, but that they were successful when doing so as well. It's a huge blow to the ego.

So, yes, the West was in fact responsible for Sonic's success, even if there was Japanese oversight. That oversight certainly isn't the key, as that's been a constant for the last 23 years.

[Mauro Fonseca]

That's a question of marketing, though. Development-wise, they were Japanese-made games, even if physically in the US, with the exception of Sonic 2 having some American developers in the team. This BigRedButton situation is unprecedented.

[Sitronhog]

That's great to hear! Then it seems most likely that Sonic Boom will hit Europe too! Hopefully the cartoon will make it to my country. The Sonic franchise isn't very big here. But I though that about TMNT too and the new cartoon is airing.

back to being excited again! Thank you!

[Tani Coyote]

That's a question of marketing, though. Development-wise, they were Japanese-made games, even if physically in the US, with the exception of Sonic 2 having some American developers in the team. This BigRedButton situation is unprecedented.

That gives me double reasons to think this will do well. A Western game for a Western audience, rather than a Japanese game marketed to a Western audience.

Sure, Western devs can suck, but this is an ex-Naughty Dog team. There's reason to be optimistic here.

[JaidynReiman]

That's a question of marketing, though. Development-wise, they were Japanese-made games, even if physically in the US, with the exception of Sonic 2 having some American developers in the team. This BigRedButton situation is unprecedented.

That's a great thing to clarify. Sonic Team USA was just a branch of regular Sonic Team that temporarily relocated to the US. They were still Japanese developers, though, perhaps with some Western influence.

[Tani Coyote]

My reasoning, however, is if a Japanese game with Western marketing can do fantastic in the West, what about a game that is both for and by the West?

It's no secret culture clashes can exist in art and music, why not in overall game design too?

[Tenko]

Probably a sound idea keeping Boom out of the Eastern markets tho considering how well most Western games tend to go down there. Or Western consoles *cough* Xbox >.<

I mean gems that most of us love or have heard of get very little attention over there. Jak & Daxter for example never even had its 3rd game released or even the recent HD Collection. Even Spyro, after the original PSX games none of them were released in Japan. And Skylanders, they hadn't had a single one till they got a Wii U version of the original published by Square Enix of all people mid last year.

As silly as we think it is when edits are made or games go unreleased, there are a great many of our Western games that don't make it over there too. Will be very interesting to see what impact Boom makes and if it does end up getting a Japanese release a year or so later.

[Tani Coyote]

The old saying goes that if you try and please everyone, you will please no one. Narrowing your market can cut overall profits but can lead to a higher quality product. In theory, for example, Lost World could have been a great game simply because it didn't have to make a multi-platform experience. In a different vein, this game solely appealing to Western rather than Japanese audiences means it could sell much better in that regard alone. Since Japan never really was a big win for Sonic, it's a no brainer to forget about it for at least one half of the franchise.

[azoo]

Before I was sort of cynical about everything, but after calming down from my rants a couple of days ago, I guess I see things a bit differently now. This is all just speculation off of what we know, but I kind of see the two series like this now:

 

With Boom, they're now going to be able to focus on reaching out to..

- the younger demographic (marketability with a TV show and toy line, 4 player local co-op, really experimental ideas)

- fans of Western and/or "PS1 & PS2 era" platformers (combat, exploration elements, art style)

- veteran fans (character development and interactions, some world fleshing out, some "Adventure" elements)

 

Now once again, this is just a guess, but BRB Studios focusing on that allows Sonic Team to focus on...

- the "everyone" demographic (setting a more broad tone and fleshed out experience, since Sonic afterall is a big all-ages series)

- the general gamer crowd (cutting the "fat" (the more experimental, far-reaching-for-the-kids'-attention ideas), game quality, replayability)

- and once again, veteran fans (refined and fine tuned gameplay, nostalgia overload, bigger ambitious projects)

 

The Boom sub-franchise benefits from healthy productivity through a television show and toy line as well as well-constructed side games, while the main series gets to focus on one game at a time again and make more well-rounded titles instead of pooping things out that could be anywhere from 'pretty good' to mediocre. 

[Mauro Fonseca]

I would not set up expectations for Sonic Team cutting the experimental. Again, they were never experimental due to "trying to appeal to younger crowd" or "critics" or whatever.

 

They just don't like doing the same kind of game too often, for better and for the worse. Again, as soon as Sonic 3 they wanted to ditch sidescrolling platformers to go isometric, they spent the whole Saturn era away from Sonic and doing a bunch of different game experiments, Adventure had a start as an RPG and there was another Sonic and Knuckles RPG planned for the Dreamcast, and once they became chained to Sonic after the Dreamcast's fall they kept trying to change things every game.

[RK64]

I would not set up expectations for Sonic Team cutting the experimental. Again, they were never experimental due to "trying to appeal to younger crowd" or "critics" or whatever.

 

They just don't like doing the same kind of game too often, for better and for the worse. Again, as soon as Sonic 3 they wanted to ditch sidescrolling platformers to go isometric, they spent the whole Saturn era away from Sonic and doing a bunch of different game experiments, Adventure had a start as an RPG and there was another Sonic and Knuckles RPG planned for the Dreamcast, and once they became chained to Sonic after the Dreamcast's fall they kept trying to change things every game.

 

That is the sad thing though; they have all these ideas but are chained to the Sonic IP, preventing them from using them. And when they do use them...we end up with Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic 06 and Sonic and the Black Knight . Maybe with BRB making Sonic Boom, Sonic Team can have some breathing room to make a new IP (now's a better time than any with all the next gen systems out ).

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

. Maybe with BRB making Sonic Boom, Sonic Team can have some breathing room to make a new IP (now's a better time than any with all the next gen systems out ).

Or properly bring back several of their old IPs. *Cough* Billy Hatcher *Cough* NiGHTS!!!!!!!

[Dizcrybe]

Or properly bring back several of their old IPs. *Cough* Billy Hatcher *Cough* NiGHTS!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, cause that worked so well the last time...

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

Yeah, cause that worked so well the last time...

Then hand it off to BRB. Spryo's flying mechanic experience from Insomniac veterans might come in handy.

[Mauro Fonseca]

Yeah sure just shove everything off to BRB

 

doesn't that kinda defeat the point that BRB are going to be the messianic saviours of the franchise because they can focus on the game only?

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

Yeah sure just shove everything off to BRB

 

doesn't that kinda defeat the point that BRB are going to be the messianic saviours of the franchise because they can focus on the game only?

Focus on the game only? What does that even mean? 

[Mauro Fonseca]

That they're giving all their attention to Sonic Boom instead of falling in the folly of doing multiple games at once?

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

That they're giving all their attention to Sonic Boom instead of falling in the folly of doing multiple games at once?

Who said they had to work on both games at the same time?

'Cause I certainly didn't. I think there's been a mis-comprehension.