After 35 years, Takashi Iizuka can't help but think of Sonic the Hedgehog as family. The Sonic Team boss told One More Game that the franchise feels like a child to him. More specifically, like a son. And yeah, the hedgehog has technically been around longer than Iizuka's actual kids, which is a funny little detail that puts the whole thing into perspective.
Iizuka's history with the series goes way back. He worked on Sonic 2 as a debugger before becoming a major creative force behind the blue blur. So when he says the journey has been personal, he means it. You don't stick with one character for that long without forming a real attachment.
There was a stretch where Sonic's future wasn't guaranteed, either. Iizuka remembers the series being under threat of cancellation at Sega. Then the Sonic the Hedgehog movie hit and became a big hit, which he says completely changed the trajectory of the franchise.
But if you ask him which game altered the course of Sonic the most, he doesn't point to the movie. He points to Sonic Adventure. According to Iizuka, the franchise wouldn't be what it is without it. That game took Sonic into 3D, gave him a voice, and let him actually speak. Basically, it laid the foundation for modern Sonic.
As for what's next in games? That's still up in the air. Sonic has a new Netflix show and another film on the way, but there's been no word on a follow-up to Sonic Frontiers. Iizuka has teased that more is coming for the anniversary, though, so fans might not be waiting in the dark forever.
Oh, and his most memorable project? Sonic Adventure 2. He was really delighted that its story got used for the third movie.