A new Sonic collection is coming in June, but fans aren’t happy with the specifics

Posted on April 21, 2022

2022 is turning out to be a big year for the speedy blue hedgehog. Not only have we seen the release of the second Sonic movie as well as the upcoming open-world Sonic Frontiers, we’ve also gotten an officially licensed Sonic game for Roblox, and now the news of a collection of original Sonic games releasing in June.

The official Sonic Twitter account announced the news with a trailer for Sonic Origins, featuring 4 classic Sonic games re-released for modern consoles and PC. Included will be Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic CD. The package seems somewhat shallow considering the visuals haven’t been redrawn, though getting a 4-in-1 title with new stuff including new animated content is still somewhat tantalising.

Excitement over the newly announced pack has been somewhat overshadowed by the reaction to the already announced DLC plans and multiple versions of the game. You can see a glimmer of it at the end of the trailer linked above, but even more detail can be found on the official Sonic Origins website.

The game’s pre-orders show off 5 different purchase options for the upcoming game, with a Standard Edition, Start Dash Pack, Premium Fun Pack, Classic Music Pack, and a Digital Deluxe Edition. Complete with a chart showing off the different incentives and bonuses, the monetisation of Sonic Origins is already feeling like a money-grubbing hassle. Frustratingly, key pieces of content seem to be cut out of the experience unless you purchase more expensive or additional options. A mirror mode will only be available for those who pre-order or buy the Start Dash Pack in addition to the main game purchase. And even more concerning, character animations and camera controls in certain areas of the game are being locked behind purchases of either the Premium Fun Pack or the Digital Deluxe Edition. Bying the most expensive option doesn’t even get you access to everything by default, requiring pre-order incentives. Understandably, fans are upset and confused.

Sonic Origins pre-order page showing 5 different packs and editions

The online reception to the announcement of Sonic Origins has certainly been unfavourable. With only a couple of months to go before release, it’ll be interesting to see if any updates or changes are made in response to the backlash.

Sonic Origins will be released on June 23 to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S with a Switch release “coming soon” thereafter.