9 Prolific Video Game Developers That Released Absolute Trash
1. Sonic Team
Unleashed, Lost World, Forces and, of course, the dreaded Sonic '06: what freak event occurred behind closed doors at Sonic Team HQ for its partnership with the Blue Blur to go sour so fast? Remember, this is the very same studio responsible for Sonic's golden years, not to mention other pioneering titles like Phantasy Star Online.
No single fault can explain away Sonic's slip down the pop culture rankings, but there are two obvious contributors. The first, and most obvious, is that Sonic Team has always struggled to transition its mascot from 2D to three-dimensional space, and that, combined with the departure of the old guard (Yuji Naka, Hirokazu Yasuhara) led to the franchise's general decline.
But it's not all doom and gloom. Last year's Sonic Mania, spearheaded by Christian Whitehead, marked a return to form for the 90s gaming icon, singlehandedly winning back critical adoration after a decade-plus of mediocrity. Sonic Team, on the other hand, focused most of its development efforts on Sonic Forces which, as the internet can attest to, brought with it nought but further disappointment.
Scrap the 3D adventures, pour focus into continuing Sonic's 2D origins. Problem solved.