Sonic Team head talks Sonic remakes ~ Amazing News 2020

By Sickr on August 5, 2026

Takashi Iizuka, the head and lead producer of Sonic Team, has spoken about how the team decides on creating a remake. Iizuka says it’s not just a matter of visual style the team has to nail but also updating the controls and level design for modern platforms. He said that the team plays close attention to requests, but he says that their main focus is on creating new Sonic experiences.

Sonic fans are very passionate, often calling for remakes or remasters. I would personally love to see Black Knight, Unleashed, or Sonic Heroes make a comeback. Are there any games that you would like to revisit?

It always makes me happy to hear that fans still care so deeply about these games. Each title has its own audience, and we pay close attention when people tell us which experiences they would like to play again.

For me, the challenge is that remaking a game properly requires much more than improving its graphics. We would need to reconsider the controls, level design, technology, presentation, and many other elements, so the experience meets the expectations of players today. In some cases, that could require almost as much time and effort as developing an entirely new game.

Because of that, my personal focus is usually on how we can use our resources to give players a new Sonic experience. That does not mean we have forgotten the older titles. Their ideas and lessons remain an important part of how we think about and shape Sonic’s future.