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Sonic Team

Video game developer · Japan · Active

Sonic Team

Founded in 1990

111
games developed
0
games published
0
in development
60
employees

History of Sonic Team

Sonic Team was formed inside Sega in 1990 by programmer Yuji Naka, artist Naoto Ohshima and level designer Hirokazu Yasuhara. Sega wanted a mascot for its Genesis console; Ohshima designed a blue hedgehog and Naka put him into a prototype. The result was Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), a major success that helped sell millions of consoles. The team took the name Sonic Team with that release, and in 2000 the name also became that of a company.

After the first game, Naka and Yasuhara moved to California to make Sonic the Hedgehog 2 at Sega Technical Institute, while Ohshima worked on Sonic CD in Japan. Naka returned in 1994 to run the CS3 department, where the team made games without Sonic, such as Nights into Dreams (1996) and Burning Rangers (1998) for the Saturn. The Dreamcast brought Sonic Adventure (1998), the console's best-selling game, Samba de Amigo, ChuChu Rocket! and Phantasy Star Online (2000).

In October 2000 Sega spun its studios off as separate companies and the team became Sonic Team, Ltd., led by Naka, with a San Francisco subsidiary, Sonic Team USA, that made Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) and Sonic Heroes (2003). In 2003 it absorbed United Game Artists, the studio behind Rez. After Sammy took control of Sega in 2004, it became an internal department again. Naka left in 2006, during work on Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), which critics panned.

Takashi Iizuka has led the studio since 2008, when the US team was folded back in. Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations improved the series' reception, and in 2015 Iizuka admitted the studio had put release dates ahead of quality. In 2017 it released Sonic Forces and oversaw Sonic Mania, made by Christian Whitehead. Today it sits within Sega's second business division, and since then it has released Sonic Frontiers (2022) and Sonic Superstars (2023), the latter made with Arzest.

Milestones

  1. 1990

    Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima and Hirokazu Yasuhara form the team.

  2. 1991

    Sonic the Hedgehog; the team takes the Sonic Team name.

  3. 1996

    Nights into Dreams.

  4. 1998

    Sonic Adventure, the Dreamcast's best-selling game.

  5. 2000

    Phantasy Star Online; Sonic Team, Ltd. is incorporated.

  6. 2004

    It becomes a Sega department again after Sammy's arrival.

  7. 2006

    Yuji Naka leaves the studio.

  8. 2017

    Sonic Forces and Sonic Mania.

  9. 2022

    Sonic Frontiers.

Its best-known games

Every game it has developed (111)

2025

  • Sonic Rumble Party Android, PC, iOS
  • Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Series X|S, PS4, Switch 2, PC

2024

  • Sonic Generations Series X|S, PS4, Switch 2, PC
  • Shadow Generations Series X|S, PS4, Switch 2, PC

2023

  • Sonic Superstars Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5

2022

  • Sonic Frontiers Series X|S, PS4, Switch 2, PC
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5

2018

  • Puyo Puyo Champions Arcade, PS4, PC, XONE

2017

  • Sonic Forces PS4, PC, XONE, Switch

2016

  • Puyo Puyo Chronicle 3DS

2015

  • Puyo Puyo Touch Android, iOS
  • Sonic Runners Android, iOS

2014

  • Puyo Puyo Tetris PS3, PS4, 3DS, PC

2013

  • Puyo Puyo!! Quest Arcade Arcade
  • Sonic Lost World PC, WiiU
  • Puyo Puyo!! Quest Android, iOS

2012

  • Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary: Mini Version 3DS

2011

  • Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary 3DS, Wii, PSP, NDS
  • Sonic Generations Series X|S, PS3, PS4, Switch 2
  • Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut PC

2010

2009

  • Puyo Puyo 7 Wii, PSP, NDS
  • Puyo Puyo! The Medal Edition Arcade
  • Sonic Putter Mobile
  • Phantasy Star Portable PSP
  • Phantasy Star Zero Mini
  • Sonic and the Black Knight Wii

2008

2007

  • Nights: Journey of Dreams Wii
  • Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus PC, X360, PS2
  • Sonic Rush Adventure NDS
  • Sonic and the Secret Rings Wii

2006

  • Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary Wii, PSP, NDS, PS2
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis GBA
  • Sonic the Hedgehog PS3, X360
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Mobile
  • Mind Quiz: Your Brain Coach NDS
  • Phantasy Star Universe PC, X360, PS2
  • Sonic Riders XBOX, NGC, PC, PS2

2005

  • Sonic the Hedgehog Mobile
  • Puyo Puyo Fever 2 PSP, NDS, PS2
  • Sonic Rush NDS
  • The Rub Rabbits! NDS
  • Sonic Reversi Hyper Mobile
  • Sonic Jump Mobile

2004

  • Puyo Pop Fever NDS
  • Feel the Magic: XY/XX NDS
  • Sega Superstars PS2
  • Puyo Pop Fever GBA
  • Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst PC
  • Sonic Hopping 2 Mobile
  • Astro Boy PS2
  • Sonic Hopping Mobile

2003

  • Billy Hatcher Hyper Shoot GBA, Mobile
  • Sonic Heroes XBOX, PS3, NGC, PC
  • Tails no Flying Get Mobile
  • Sonic Battle GBA
  • Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus NGC
  • Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution NGC
  • Puyo Pop Fever Arcade, XBOX, NGC, PC
  • Sonic Reversi Mobile
  • Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg NGC, PC
  • Dragon Crystal II Mobile
  • Speed DX Mobile
  • Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut NGC, PC
  • Sonic Pinball Party GBA
  • Sonic Putter Mobile

2002

  • Sonic Racing Shift Up Mobile
  • Sonic no Jirai Sagashi Game Mobile
  • Eggman no Kazuate Panic! Mobile
  • Nights Into Dreams: Score Attack GBA
  • Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II XBOX, NGC
  • Sonic Golf C-Mode Cup Mobile
  • Sonic Racing Kart Mobile
  • Sonic Bowling Mobile
  • Nakayoshi Chao! Mobile
  • Sonic Fishing Mobile
  • Speed Mobile
  • Sonic Golf Mobile

2001

  • Sonic Adventure 2: Battle NGC
  • Puyo Pop GBA
  • Fantasy Zone: Boss no Gyakushuu Mobile
  • Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2 PC, DC

2000

  • Phantasy Star Online DC
  • Samba de Amigo ver. 2000 Arcade, DC

1999

  • Samba de Amigo Arcade, DC
  • ChuChu Rocket! Android, iOS, WiiU, GBA

1998

  • Sonic Adventure DC
  • Sonic R PC
  • Sonic & Knuckles
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 2
  • Burning Rangers Saturn

1997

  • Sonic R Saturn
  • Sonic World Saturn
  • Sonic the Hedgehog Saturn

1996

  • Christmas Nights into Dreams Saturn
  • Nights Into Dreams... Saturn

1995

  • Knuckles' Chaotix Sega32

1994

  • Sonic & Knuckles Wii, Genesis/MegaDrive, X360
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Wii, Genesis/MegaDrive, X360

1993

  • Sonic CD PC, Sega CD

1992

  • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 PS3, 3DS, Wii, Genesis/MegaDrive

1991