SEGA in recent years have had greater invested interest in the opinions and the involvement of the Sonic the Hedgehog fan community with many aspects to the franchise. One of their greatest assests are the people who work as the community teams, and liase with the fans; this line of communication has definitely had a hand in shaping the face of games over the past half decade.
Three years ago a new member joined the crew at SEGA of America, appearing frequently on the SEGA blogs and known only as RubyEclipse. Today, after many Free Stuff Fridays and blogs (and the occasional festive fanmail reading video), Aaron Webber has become one of the most well-known community members – and with good reason. Aaron has struck a fantastic balance over three years on the community team with SEGA, between being a professional, effective representative and ambassador for SEGA, as well as being a Sonic the Hedgehog fan himself. Aaron’s enthusiasm for his work along with the rest of his team has shone through and has remained unwavered in his time at SoA.
It will therefore sadden many of you to hear that Aaron has announced he will be departing the community team, however I’m sure you will all join us in congratulating Aaron in his promotion to Associate Brand Manager at SoA. We wish him all the best in managing his first assignment of the highly anticipated Sonic Generations (and we hope we will still see him pop up occasionally on FSF vids too!). You can read his final heartfelt blog on the SEGA blogs site.
I’d like to end on my favourite Webber moments from the last few years – if you haven’t seen these before…enjoy!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB3Mk0cHY_E&feature=channel[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwYScW9ZC4Y&feature=channel[/youtube]
I will really miss him.
He wasnt only bloger he was a Sonic fan just like us.
I think it wont be the same without him. From who will we get breaking info like leaks? And he was fine to talk in Spiral Knights.
Again WE WILL MISS YOU
That’s a shame he was the best damn Community Manager Sega ever had, he will be sorely missed.
Its werid how alot of people are leaving sega atm
He didn’t leave. He got promoted.
Yes, but that said he has to leave the community team, since he’s being promoted. Does this mean he will be working at SEGA’s company now? Or what? What is an Associate Brand Manager anyway?
A Brand Manager’s job is handling the overall marketing of a particular brand, and helps in promoting the brand during various PR events and what not.
Translation: Aaron is the new Ken Balough! (for Sonic Generations, anyway). My guess is that Sega see’s his connection with the community as quite invaluable going forward, and wants to put him in a position that will really propel Sonic in the proper direction. Its a good move. I’m surprised they haven’t done this sorta thing sooner.
i know this is random and all but i just posted my first blog on ign. it’s about generations if you can i’d like you to read it and give me some feedback on how i can make it and future posts better. heres the link: http://www.ign.com/blogs/thedolladudefan1996
but yeah back to webber….(CRY!) we’ll miss you a lot! no one will replace you dude!
I sure will miss him but Good Luck Aaron on your PRRRRROMOTION!
Good luck Mr. Webber, but please, stop by from time to time when you can! 😉
Mmmmh, wait a minute, isn’t Ken Balough also a A.B.M. ? Did he also get a promotion and Aaron is now stepping in his shoes?
Just curious, thats all! ^^
Sonic and Amy will happen in Sonic Generations at 1:48:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB3Mk0cHY_E&feature=player_embedded
What do you mean by “Sonic and Amy will happen in Sonic Generations”?
Now I am scared I mean no offense but… Isnt that nonsense now… For this game…
Just ignore him. He ALWAYS talks about sonamy. ALWAYS.
He’s a troll
FOR GODS SAKE Ryan STOP Enough with those Sonamy remarks It’s getting really annoying now and we find it really fustrating your really pushin da limit Just stop please >_<
…what a misleading article. That’s not funny. He’s not leaving, he’s getting promoted.
RTFA.
How is it misleading? Did you read the article past the title?
I meant the title was the misleading part of it.
Community managers are a dying breed.
Congratulations, Aaron. Although the blog will probably feel different without you.
Good luck Aaron.Make that money.
At least he isn’t really leaving–he’ll still be at Sega, making an even bigger difference, and I’m looking forward to the good he’ll do there. Congrats Ruby, we’re all cheering for ya.
Got to meet him personally at the SEGA booth @ J-Pop last year. He was nothing but kind and open to everyone he spoke to and you rarely get to see that in this day and age.
It isn’t too sad thou, he’ll hopefully still be around for a while to come in his new position in which I wish him nothing more than the best.
Thank you for all your hard work, give aways, events, the eBay Tsunami auctions and everything else you’ve done with SEGA 🙂
I wish him good luck I can’t say no more though CBB for now I just don’t have the time
But with all respect
I will miss him just as much as others good luck
He will be missed a lot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9AHEXAcwao&
Wow… I met a celebrity and I didn’t even knew it. I remember him as simply Aaron from the SEGA Booth over @ NY Comic Con ’10 when I was trying out Colors. We talked about Sonic, the fans, the expectations, SEGA and how he was happy to see that I was part of the small but vocal community of Virtua Fighter fans over in the U.S. At the end of the con, I walked away with the respect of a genuine SEGA employee, he walked away with a specially designed VF poster I did for the con and we both walked away as mutual lovers of the House of Genesis. If I had known he was RubyEclipse, I would have hanged with him more, maybe pick his brain to figure out what’s wrong with you crazy Sonic fans.
Congrats Aaron and good luck!