Editing Sonic Team (section)

===2004–present: Reintegration and recent years===
In 2004, the Japanese company [[Sammy Corporation|Sammy]] acquired a controlling interest in Sega and formed [[Sega Sammy Holdings]].<ref name="RetroST" />  Prior to the merger, Sega began the process of re-integrating its subsidiaries into the main company.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/sega-development-studios-return-to-the-fold|title=Sega development studios return to the fold|last=Fahey|first=Rob|date=29 June 2004|work=GamesIndustry.biz|access-date=11 July 2018|publisher=Gamer Network|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711093418/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/sega-development-studios-return-to-the-fold|archive-date=11 July 2018}}</ref> Sonic Team USA became Sega Studios USA,<ref name="RetroST" /> while SONICTEAM Ltd. became Sega's Global Entertainment 1 research and development division (GE1).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kagu.plus.co.jp/case/1303/|title=Sega Co., Ltd. / Daiichi GE Research & Development Department (formerly Sonic Team Co., Ltd.)|website=plus.co.jp|publisher=PLUS Corporation, Ltd.|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821044624/http://kagu.plus.co.jp/case/1303/|archive-date=21 August 2017|url-status=live|access-date=11 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sonic.sega.jp/SonicChannelOld/creators/011/index.html|title=Interviews Creators: Morio Kishimoto & Etsuko Sugawara|website=sonic.sega.jp|publisher=Sonic Team|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170716205104/http://sonic.sega.jp/SonicChannelOld/creators/011/index.html|archive-date=16 July 2017|url-status=live|access-date=11 July 2018}}</ref> The team is still referred to as Sonic Team.<ref name="polygon history" />  As of 2005, senior Sega figures including [[Toshihiro Nagoshi]] and [[Yu Suzuki]] were reporting to Naka; according to Takashi Yuda, he was involved in all Sega game development.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kikizo {{!}} Sonic Team Interview November 2005 (Page 3)|url=http://archive.videogamesdaily.com/features/sega_sonicteam_sonic_iv_nov05_p3.asp|access-date=2021-06-25|website=archive.videogamesdaily.com}}</ref> Naka announced his departure on 8 May 2006 and formed a new studio, [[Prope]], to focus on creating original games.<ref name="RetroST" /> He left Sonic Team during the development of ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 video game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' (2006), released as part of the 15-year anniversary of the ''Sonic'' franchise. ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' was panned for its bugs and design flaws; ''[[Sonic Unleashed]]'' (2008) received mixed reviews, but sold well.<ref name="polygon history" />  Both games were released for the [[PlayStation 3]] and [[Xbox 360]]; Sonic Team also developed a series of ''Sonic'' games for the [[Wii]] and [[Nintendo DS]], such as 2007's ''[[Sonic and the Secret Rings]]''.<ref name="gameinformer_sega_nintendo" />

By 2010, Sonic Team had become part of CS Research and Development No. 2 (CS2), Sega Studios USA had been reintegrated into the Japanese team, and Iizuka had become the head of the department.<ref name=":5">{{cite web|url=http://www.4gamer.net/games/131/G013139/20111227008/|title=Producer Takashi Iizuka speaks, "Sonic Generations White Space-Time Space / Blue Adventure" Production Secret Story and Sonic Series 20 Years of Progress|last=Inemoto|first=Tetsuya|date=28 December 2011|website=www.4gamer.net|publisher=Aetas, Inc.|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821045318/http://www.4gamer.net/games/131/G013139/20111227008/|archive-date=21 August 2017|url-status=live|access-date=11 July 2018}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.videogamesdaily.com/interviews/201010/interview-sonic-teams-takashi-iizuka/|title=Interview: Sonic Team's Takashi Iizuka|last=Higham|first=Rupert|date=6 October 2010|website=Kikizo|publisher=Superglobal Ltd.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327212045/http://www.videogamesdaily.com/interviews/201010/interview-sonic-teams-takashi-iizuka/|archive-date=27 March 2018|url-status=live|access-date=27 March 2018}}</ref> After a series of poorly received ''Sonic'' releases, Sonic Team refocused on speed and more traditional side-scrolling in ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I]]'' and ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II|II]]'', ''[[Sonic Generations]]'', and ''[[Sonic Colors]]'', which all received better reviews.  In 2015, Iizuka recognized in an interview with ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' that Sonic Team had prioritized shipping games over quality, and had not had enough involvement in later third-party ''Sonic'' games, such as ''[[Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric]]''.  He hoped the Sonic Team logo would stand as a "mark of quality"; he planned to release quality games and expand the ''Sonic'' brand, while retaining the modern Sonic design.<ref name="polygon history" /> Iizuka stated that doing new things with the franchise has had good and bad points at times.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Shea |first=Brian |title=Where Sonic Went Wrong |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/11/14/where-sonic-went-wrong.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814072429/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/11/14/where-sonic-went-wrong.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 August 2019 |access-date=2022-11-19 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en}}</ref> Sonic Team's first ''Sonic'' game exclusive to [[smartphone]]s, ''[[Sonic Runners]]'', was released in 2015. An [[endless runner]], it was designed to have more [[replay value]] than other games in the genre.<ref name="TAInterview">{{cite web |last1=Musgrave |first1=Shaun |title=An Interview With Sonic Team's Takashi Iizuka About 'Sonic Runners' |url=https://toucharcade.com/2015/06/30/an-interview-with-sonic-teams-takashi-iizuka-about-sonic-runners/ |website=[[TouchArcade]] |access-date=18 August 2018 |date=30 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806154016/https://toucharcade.com/2015/06/30/an-interview-with-sonic-teams-takashi-iizuka-about-sonic-runners/ |archive-date=6 August 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Sonic Runners'' received mixed reviews<ref name="MC">{{cite web |title=Sonic Runners for iPhone/iPad Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/sonic-runners/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=19 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316093127/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/sonic-runners |archive-date=16 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> and was [[List of commercial failures in video gaming|unprofitable]],<ref name="SegaStrategic">{{cite web |title=Sega Networks Strategic Presentation |url=https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/library/pdf/settlement/2016/20151218_sgn_presentation_e_.pdf |publisher=[[Sega]] |access-date=20 August 2018 |page=11 |date=18 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601024325/https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/library/pdf/settlement/2016/20151218_sgn_presentation_e_.pdf |archive-date=1 June 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> resulting in its discontinuation a year later.<ref name="NLifeShutdown">{{cite web |last1=Whitehead |first1=Thomas |title=Sonic Runners, SEGA's Mobile Release by the Sonic Team, is Getting Shut Down |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/05/sonic_runners_segas_mobile_release_by_the_sonic_team_is_getting_shut_down |website=[[Nintendo Life]] |access-date=20 August 2018 |date=28 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822213934/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/05/sonic_runners_segas_mobile_release_by_the_sonic_team_is_getting_shut_down |archive-date=22 August 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2017, Sonic Team developed and released ''[[Sonic Forces]]'', and oversaw the development of ''[[Sonic Mania]]'' by [[Christian Whitehead]]. ''Forces'' was aimed at a broad audience of young and adult players, while ''Mania'' was focused on fans of the original Genesis games.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2017/07/04/sonic-mania-and-sonic-forces-hands-on-preview-and-interview-the-focus-is-on-old-school-fans-6753357/|title=Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces hands-on preview and interview – 'The focus is on old school fans'|last=Jenkins|first=David|date=4 July 2017|website=Metro Gaming|publisher=Associated Newspapers Ltd.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627034354/https://metro.co.uk/2017/07/04/sonic-mania-and-sonic-forces-hands-on-preview-and-interview-the-focus-is-on-old-school-fans-6753357/|archive-date=27 June 2018|url-status=live|access-date=26 June 2018}}</ref> ''Mania'' became the best reviewed ''Sonic'' game in fifteen years<ref name="rs">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/sonic-mania-is-the-highest-rated-sonic-game-in-15-years-w498303|title=Sonic Mania is the Highest-Rated Sonic game in 15 Years|last=Hester|first=Blake|date=17 August 2017|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822055635/http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/sonic-mania-is-the-highest-rated-sonic-game-in-15-years-w498303|archive-date=22 August 2017|url-status=live|access-date=21 August 2017}}</ref> following nearly two decades of mixed reviews for the franchise.<ref name="polygon history" /><ref name=":02">{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/sega-announces-retro-sonic-mania-post-apocalyptic-project-sonic-2017-1572389|title=Sega announces retro Sonic Mania and post-apocalyptic Project Sonic for 2017|last=Skipper|first=Ben|date=25 July 2016|work=[[International Business Times]]|publisher=[[IBT Media]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917161432/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/sega-announces-retro-sonic-mania-post-apocalyptic-project-sonic-2017-1572389|archive-date=17 September 2016|url-status=live|access-date=17 September 2016}}</ref>  Sonic Team also contributed to the 2019 reboot of ''[[Sakura Wars (2019 video game)|Sakura Wars]].''<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=2019-11-08 |title=『新サクラ大戦』に『龍が如く7』！ 2020年に向けて飛躍するセガゲームスの取り組みを名越氏に訊く【電撃PS】 |url=https://dengekionline.com/articles/16919 |access-date=2022-05-21 |website=[[Dengeki Online]] |language=ja}}</ref> Sonic Team is embedded within the second business division of Sega, which has more than 400 employees as of 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-22 |title=『Beep21』ソニックを30年間創り続けた男 ─クリエイター・リユニオン・ファイル Vol.4 飯塚隆インタビュー｜Beep21 |url=https://note.com/beep21/n/n6c043a1e1d10 |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=note（ノート） |language=ja}}</ref>