December 7 Will Be a Sad Day for Sonic Fans

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December 7 Will Be a Sad Day for Sonic Fans

As a long-time fan of Sonic and a proud owner of both the Dreamcast and the Sega Genesis, I was taken aback by the recent announcement from Sega regarding the delisting of some classic games, including Sonic Adventure 1 and 2. These games hold a special place in my heart as they were among the first 3D platformers I played and remain some of the best entries in the franchise to this day.

Starting on November 7, 2024, Sega announced that they would be removing approximately 70 of their classic games from various platforms such as Xbox, Steam, PlayStation, and Nintendo storefronts. This decision includes a handful of titles from the popular Sonic the Hedgehog series. Although many of these games were earlier versions of retro hits like Alex Kidd and the Enchanted Castle, Golden Axe, Shining Force 2, and Ecco the Dolphin, it’s worth noting that the removal includes the relatively recent Sega Genesis Classics Collection, which was only released on consoles approximately 6 years ago. Unfortunately, Sega did not offer a reason for this decision, but some have suggested that they may be planning to launch a new Sega Classics collection at some point in the future.

Initially, when the announcement was made, Sega verified that three Sonic games would be taken down: the Steam versions of Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic Spinball, and the Xbox version of Sonic the Fighters. Later on, some enthusiasts spotted that two additional Sonic games were also slated for removal, but only in specific regions. The affected games turned out to be Sonic Adventure DX and Sonic Adventure 2. As per the Sega Classics FAQ, these games will disappear from sale on both Xbox and Steam in Italy and Germany, along with over 70 other vintage titles, on December 7th.

Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 Are Being Delisted on December 7, But Only in Germany and Italy

The Sonic Adventure Games Were Some of the Best Platformers on the Dreamcast

The original and sequel of Sonic Adventure, although they might not hold up as well against other games of their era, are often praised as standout titles within the Sonic series. Launched in December 1998, the first game was one of the initial exclusive titles for the Sega Dreamcast. As the first fully 3D Sonic game, Sonic Adventure was designed to boost sales for the underperforming console. Regrettably, it didn’t prevent the Dreamcast from being a commercial flop; however, the game itself sold decently and garnered nearly unanimous positive reviews from critics.

In June of 2001, approximately two years and a half after its predecessor’s release, Sonic Adventure 2 debuted on the Sega Dreamcast. This game, introducing the beloved character Shadow the Hedgehog, generally received favorable reviews, but sales weren’t as strong due to the Dreamcast being discontinued just prior to its launch. Notably, Sonic Adventure 2 was the last Sonic game to be released on a Sega console. Later, throughout the 2000s, the Sonic Adventure series was remade for various platforms like the Nintendo GameCube, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 Are Not Widely Accessible on Modern Systems

Currently, the original Sonic Adventure games (1 and 2) can only be played on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, due to Xbox 360 backwards compatibility, as well as Windows PC. As of now, these titles have not been upgraded or moved to newer platforms like the PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch. This means they are less accessible than other major Sonic games such as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic Generations. Therefore, their planned removal from Xbox and Steam stores in Italy and Germany adds to the disappointment, given that these games aren’t as widely available as other mainline Sonic titles.

Gamers in Germany and Italy Will Still Be Able to Purchase the Sonic Adventure Games Via a New Bundle

It remains unclear why the “Sonic Adventure” series is only being removed from sale in Germany and Italy, while other countries continue to have access. This could be due to specific licensing agreements in these regions. However, for German and Italian gamers, they will still technically be able to buy the two platform games after December 7th, but only through the “Sonic the Hedgehog Legacy Bundle” on Xbox and Steam. This collection, which encompasses “Sonic Adventure DX”, “Sonic Adventure 2”, “Sonic Generations”, “Sonic 4”, and several other “Sonic the Hedgehog” games, retails at a hefty €59.99, making it an expensive choice.

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2024-11-19 01:53