Sonic the Hedgehog series boss Takashi Iizuka says the franchise was once at serious risk of cancellation because of poor performance and a declining reputation. He credits the success of the first Sonic film, released in 2020, with changing the series’ fortunes and helping ensure that the games continued.

Iizuka said he had to argue within Sega to preserve the franchise during its worst period, though he did not specify exactly when this occurred. He also said Sonic would receive new media almost every year, including anime, games and films; a fourth film, featuring Amy, is due next year, while future games may place greater emphasis on storytelling.