SEGA’s Vice President of Marketing, Sean Ratcliffe, sat down with Game Daily for an in-depth interview and discussed the lack of quality control in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
It is about time. Ratcliffe said:
“Some of that criticism is probably warranted. We definitely recognize that a franchise that has been going as long as Sonic, you really have to put a huge amount of effort in to make sure that you maintain that quality, and arguably a disproportionate amount of effort. However, I would say we recognize it, which is why you’re seeing us this year taking the first steps in making sure the quality is right, and we’re constantly looking at innovation. We can’t just stand still with Sonic; we’ve got to be looking at different ways to develop the character, different genres, and so on.”
He added:
“So your point [about quality] is a fair one, and it’s a challenge to Sega to make sure we’re pushing and making sure the quality is there with Sonic. Do we get concerned about it? Yes, of course we’re always concerned about how we’re developing that franchise. And a lot of time and effort is spent discussing how we develop Sonic.”
You know, SEGA, it is great that you have finally admitted that you have been dropping the ball over and over, constantly one-upping terrible games with more terrible games, but it is 2008. You are way late to the party. To finally acknowledge our discontent after years of disappointment, only to call Unleashed the “first steps to greatness” is an embarrassment. Some people are spurned beyond repair and PR damage control is hardly going to work. It is also a joke that you claim innovation to be a Werehog and a comically large sword. Oh, wait, you have more to say? Yes, please dig yourself a bigger hole:
“I think the Sonic next-gen experience in terms of quality, that was relatively early in the next-gen cycle when lots of developers were just coming to grips with the technology. It’s not a huge surprise when you try to get something out for launch or thereabouts and the quality is not optimal.”
Whatever helps you sleep at night, pal.