Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka has revealed that the follow-up to 2010 platformer Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 won't launch until 2012 at the earliest.
Iizuka cited the anniversary celebrations surrounding Sonic Generations as one of the reasons we won't see the 2D game until next year:
This year, 2011, is the anniversary, so we're focusing on the celebration title. But moving forward to 2012, Sonic will still be going, so I'd hope to provide Episode 2 then. It was always the plan. We knew about the anniversary year, and Generations was planned way in advance. It was always our plan to release Episode 2 after Generations.
Wii-owning Sonic fans can still get their fix of the hedgehog this year of course, as he once again goes up against the porky plumber in Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, but with Wii U due to launch next year, will we even see Sonic 4: Episode 2 on WiiWare or will it spin across to the new HD console?
[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 38
I doubt that there will be a WiiU specific version, unless they port the 360/PS3 version to it. Let's hope they drop the price below $15 though
Well, the Wii is a massive selling console. I suppose SEGA would look at the sales of the first and how much it would cost to produce an exclusive non HD version. I'd like to see it, as I enjoyed the first episode and dont think I'll afford to buy the WiiU for a while.
I'm not expecting much from the Wii after this year. Its dead, Jim.
it would be silly not to put all sonic 4 episodes onto wiiware.
if not, just bundle it all onto a disk release. it would be much easier.
The Wii U probably won't be releasing right at the start of 2012.
More likely mid to late in the year so Sonic 4 Ep2 could still be a Wiiware title.
Just get this out and La-Mulana and I'm pretty well done with Wiiware.
I already thought this episodic release was rather dumb for something that was supposed to be one game. Waiting over a year between releases just makes it seem even more ridiculous.
I wasn't impressed with the difference between the Wii and PS3 versions odf the game, and it plays much better with the Wiimote imo, so if I end up getting it, it's definitely the wii for me.
especially since I has no PS3
I'm guessing Sonic 4 Episode 2 will still be Wiiware, then a Sonic 4 disc release will be on the Wii U.
This isn't surprising seeing as we've seen nothing of it yet but I don't see why its taking so long to make as the first episode wasn't that long.
Release the entire game on the 3DS please.
please dont release it on Wii U ware I hate the HD Sonic look
It wouldn't make sense for this to be released on the wiiU simply because this is meant to be 1 game, to break the game across multiple platforms would be a bad move. I feel as though wii only owners deserve to get this 1st, mainly because were not getting generations, even though they could had easily made that for wii with sonic colors engine. how many episodes do they plan on making it's gonna be a year and a half between the 1st and second how long to they plan on making us wait for a third i'm sure ppl are beginning to lose interest.
You guys are forgetting that WiiWare will still live on for a while after the Wii U is released, just like DSiWare still exists.
If Sega doesn't make the rest of Sonic 4, then we will be left with an incomplete game. I think Sega's just going to release both episodes together on a disc (for the Wii), and have the Xbox 360/PS3 versions in digital form.
This is why I hate episodic gaming. Could you imagine if Sonic Colors or Generations were episodic?
I smell a quiet cancellation for Sonic 4: Episode 2. Not sure why but this is an awfully long time to wait for an episodic game. With the Wii on its way out after Christmas, I just can't see them releasing this now.
IF they release the sequel, they need to fix the physics a bit and add some more original zones. Sonic 4 was good but it felt more like a Director's Cut than a true Sonic sequel.
As long as we get it and as long as it is good, I am happy!
If they knew this the whole time, why the heck did it take this long to tell us? If they had told us when releasing Episode I that Episode II wouldn't come out for a year and a half due to another project (and comfirmed Sonic Generations as such when it was revealed), I would've taken the news better.
@9 It was just as long as Sonic 3, and it took 6 months afterwards to release Sonic and Knuckles. Keeping in mind that they probably had a bigger head start on S&K than S4E2 (since S4E2 was planned to be a seperate release from the beginning) and the break to make Sonic Generations, and it comes out to be about the same.
Sega seems be be following Valve's example of episodic gaming. If we're lucky, we'll get the final episode before the launch of the next Xbox and PlayStation.
@Yasume very true, but i think Nintendo's online will be stepped up a notch and they could just drop WiiWare all together.
Who is Sonic why should we even care?
Wii U eShop (I don't think it will be called WiiUWare b/c it's too ridiculous) sounds like a no-brainer, especially considering Wii U won't get Sonic Generations. On the other hand why not a completely new Sonic title for Wii U?
Oh man! I really loved episode 1 & was waiting ages for them to even say anything solid about Episode 2, glad to hear it's gonna come out but next year? Damn. Please Sega bring it out on WiiWare too!
@Bulbasaurusrex Even so, they have bigger teams than they did in those days and they may have a lot of people working on Sonic generations but last year, Sonic 4: episode 1 was released on four platforms while Sonic two different versions of Sonic colours was released and neither game took a hit from development being split up for those titles.
This is bad news thanks Sega, maybe Sega should have done the whole game and put it on disc for retail release. I hope it does make it to Wii-ware (episode 2) before the Wii becomes dead and buried.
I am will be put my penny on not hitting the Wii.
Nope. Period.
If its the anniversary year, surely you'd want to release this as well as Generations?!
I could imagine that WiiWare will still exist long after the Wii U is released. Why not? WiiWare games can also run on the Wii U. And what's the point in letting the Wii go down? Look at the Playstation 2. It's still strong after all that years with myriads of games.
@mariofanatic128 Dimps developed Sonic Colors. Sonic Team is doing Sonic 4 and Sonic Generations.
They just have to wait until Retro's got the time to make this one.
@Bulbasaurusrex I thought dimps only did the DS version of Sonic colours and not the wii one or did they do both then?
Why play Sonic 4 when you can just buy Sonic Generations?
Fail.
Considering the dearth of upcoming Wii games, it would surely make good sense to release it on wiiware.
Yeah... ok, SEGA. Sure, I'm a sucker that will wait.
hopfully better than ep. 1 :b
@XCWarrior ********* he is the best
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...