Sonic Team boss discusses pressure to maintain high Metacritic scores

Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka has discussed the increased pressure to deliver Sonic games with strong Metacritic scores.

In an interview with Automaton Media, Iizuka linked more consistent reviews for recent releases to increased development resources. He said selling one million copies is now almost a given for the series.

Sonic previously went through a prolonged decline, and SEGA at one point considered ending the franchise. The games are now performing better, while the films have also enjoyed positive box-office results, raising expectations around new releases.

More resources for development

Iizuka said the team had less money for each title when the brand was struggling and had to work within tighter limits. Expectations for Sonic have since risen, but the team also has more resources to develop games with greater care.

He added that development teams have grown considerably. If a project risks missing its deadline, staff from elsewhere can support it, helping preserve both quality and schedule.

High scores have become a requirement

Iizuka said the support structure makes it possible to deliver high-quality games more consistently, but it has also increased pressure. The team cannot afford declining Metacritic scores and must balance competing priorities during development.

The next series release is Sonic Pico Park, which is scheduled to arrive on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch next month.