Editing Sonic Team (section)

==Sonic Team USA / Sega Studios USA==
{{Distinguish|Sega Studios San Francisco}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Sega Studios USA
| logo = Sonic Team Logo.svg
| trade_name = 
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| romanized_name = 
| former_name = Sonic Team USA
| type = [[Division (business)|Division]]
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| fate = Merged with Sonic Team
| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1999}}
| defunct = 2008
| hq_location_city = [[San Francisco]], California
| hq_location_country = United States
| key_people = {{ubl|Takashi Iizuka}}
| parent = Sonic Team, Ltd. (1999–2004)<br>Sega of America (2004–2008)
| website = 
}}

Sonic Team USA, later Sega Studios USA, was a division of Sega and of Sonic Team while Sonic Team was a subsidiary company. It was founded when twelve Sonic Team members, including Takashi Iizuka, relocated to San Francisco, California, in 1999,<ref name="RetroST" /> and was a subsidiary of SONICTEAM, Ltd. by 2000.<ref name="Edge 89" />  The team worked on game development, translation,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/06/04/interview-with-sonic-adventure-2-director-takashi-iizuka|title=Interview With Sonic Adventure 2 Director Takashi Iizuka|last=IGN Staff|date=4 June 2001|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323050537/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/06/04/interview-with-sonic-adventure-2-director-takashi-iizuka|archive-date=23 March 2016|url-status=live|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> and market studies in the United States,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/02/igndc-interviews-sonic-teams-yuji-naka|title=IGNDC Interviews Sonic Team's Yuji Naka|last=IGN Staff|date=1 October 1999|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220201837/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/02/igndc-interviews-sonic-teams-yuji-naka|archive-date=20 December 2015|url-status=live|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> until they returned to Japan and merged back into Sonic Team in 2008.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development/sonic-team-head-returns-to-us-to-establish-development-hub-for-franchise|title=Sonic Team head returns to US to establish development 'hub' for franchise|last=Jarvis|first=Matthew|date=1 April 2016|work=MCV|access-date=14 July 2018|publisher=Future Publishing|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714035715/https://www.mcvuk.com/development/sonic-team-head-returns-to-us-to-establish-development-hub-for-franchise|archive-date=14 July 2018}}</ref>

Sonic Team USA translated ''Sonic Adventure'' and tested ''ChuChu Rocket!'' in America<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> before beginning work on ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]''. They took inspiration from their location in San Francisco, as well as Yosemite National Park and other areas of the United States.<ref name=":2" /> ''Sonic Adventure 2'' was released on 23 June 2001,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/games/sonic-adventure-2|title=Sonic Adventure 2|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221071550/http://www.ign.com/games/sonic-adventure-2|archive-date=21 December 2017|url-status=live|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> and was ported to the GameCube.<ref name="chatting">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/05/22/chatting-with-sega-developers|title=Chatting with SEGA Developers|last=Chau|first=Anthony|date=22 May 2001|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208185309/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/05/22/chatting-with-sega-developers|archive-date=8 December 2017|url-status=live|access-date=15 February 2014}}</ref> The next Sonic Team USA project was ''[[Sonic Heroes]]'' (2003), the first ''Sonic'' game developed for multiple platforms.<ref name="website2">''Interview'' section. {{cite web|url=http://www2.sega.com/gamesite/sonicheroes/content.html|title=Yuji Naka and Takashi Iizuka Speak on Sonic Heroes|publisher=Sega|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060321050743/http://www.sega.com/gamesite/sonicheroes/content.html|archive-date=21 March 2006|access-date=1 April 2014}}</ref> Sonic Team USA took a different approach with ''Heroes'' from the ''Sonic Adventure'' games, focusing on gameplay more similar to the Genesis games to which even casual gamers could adapt.<ref name="NPowerQ&A">{{cite magazine|date=November 2003|title=Takashi Iizuka Q&A|magazine=[[Nintendo Power]]|publisher=[[Future plc]]|issue=173}}</ref>

After SONICTEAM, Ltd. merged back into Sega in 2004, Sonic Team USA was renamed Sega Studios USA.<ref name="RetroST" />  Its next project was ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (video game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]'', released in 2005,<ref name="allgame">{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/cg/agg.dll?p=agg&sql=1:47158|title=Shadow the Hedgehog for GameCube Overview|last=Deci|first=TJ|website=[[Allgame]]|publisher=[[All Media Network]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114131027/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=47158|archive-date=14 November 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref> a spin-off starring [[Shadow the Hedgehog|Shadow]].<ref name="Herald Sun">{{cite journal|date=26 February 2006|title=Game of the week; Shadow the Hedgehog; GameCube/PS2/Xbox (rrp $79.95) Rating: 3.5/5|journal=[[Herald Sun]]|location=Melbourne|publisher=[[News Corp Australia]]|issue=1|page=F02}}</ref>  Unlike previous games, ''Shadow the Hedgehog'' was targeted at older players and featured different gameplay styles, including the use of guns and different endings to the game.<ref name="preview">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3140992&did=1|title=Shadow the Hedgehog Preview from 1UP.com|last=Klepek|first=Patrick|date=24 May 2005|website=1UP.com|publisher=Ziff Davis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108105244/http://www.1up.com/previews/shadow-the-hedgehog_11|archive-date=8 November 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=9 February 2009}}</ref> ''Shadow the Hedgehog'' was critically panned for its mature themes and level design,<ref name="Game Informer">{{cite magazine|last=Helgeson|first=Matt|date=January 2006|title=''Shadow the Hedgehog'' for GameCube Review|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/ACF9E983-A37C-48E7-BA3E-EE74B1858338.htm?CS_pid=220511|url-status=dead|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526221039/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/ACF9E983-A37C-48E7-BA3E-EE74B1858338.htm?CS_pid=220511|archive-date=26 May 2006|access-date=27 March 2009}}</ref><ref name="GSreview">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shadow-the-hedgehog-review/1900-6140200/|title=Shadow the Hedgehog for GameCube review|last=Mueller|first=Greg|date=21 November 2005|website=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105040739/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shadow-the-hedgehog-review/1900-6140200/|archive-date=5 January 2014|url-status=live|access-date=25 June 2014}}</ref> but was a commercial success, selling at least 1.59 million units.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/library/pdf/printing_annual/2006/e_2006_annual.pdf|title=Sega Sammy Holdings Annual Report 2006|date=July 2006|publisher=[[Sega Sammy Holdings]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330020047/http://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/library/pdf/printing_annual/2006/e_2006_annual.pdf|archive-date=30 March 2016|url-status=live|access-date=27 November 2017|page=47}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/library/pdf/settlement/2007/e_200703_4q_pre.pdf|title=Fiscal Year Ended March 2007 Full Year Results|date=14 May 2007|publisher=Sega Sammy Holdings|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160729222445/http://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/library/pdf/settlement/2007/e_200703_4q_pre.pdf|archive-date=29 July 2016|url-status=live|access-date=27 November 2017|page=15}}</ref>

The final Sega Studios USA game was ''[[Nights: Journey of Dreams]]'', the sequel to ''Nights into Dreams'' and the first ''Nights'' game since the cancellation of ''Air Nights'' in 2000.<ref name="ODM-UK">{{cite magazine|last1=Lomas|first1=Ed|date=December 2000|editor-last=Chrismas|editor-first=Warren|title=Sonic Team Player|magazine=[[Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK)]]|publisher=[[Dennis Publishing]]|issue=14|page=35}}</ref><ref name="rumour">{{cite web|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2006/04/21/nights-set-for-revolution|title=Nights Set For Revolution?|last1=Gantayat|first1=Anoop|date=20 April 2006|website=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|access-date=24 February 2017}}</ref>  Iizuka felt it was important to retain the original game's concepts while developing new mechanics, and released it on the [[Wii]], a more family-oriented console.<ref name="CBS">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gamespeak-nights-journey-of-dreams/|title=Gamespeak: Nights: Journey of Dreams|last1=Chamberlain|first1=Chad|date=20 November 2007|website=[[CBS News]]|publisher=[[CBS Corporation]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170311001229/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gamespeak-nights-journey-of-dreams/|archive-date=11 March 2017|url-status=live|access-date=1 December 2007}}</ref><ref name="dev2">{{cite web|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/05/10/nights-journey-of-dreams-interview|title=NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams Interview|last1=Casamassina|first1=Matt|date=10 May 2007|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|access-date=25 February 2017}}</ref>  ''Journey of Dreams'' was also designed to have a more European feel, in contrast to the ''Sonic'' games, which were more American.  The sound and CGI were completed by Sonic Team in Japan, while Sega Studios USA handled the rest of the development for the 2007 release.<ref name="dev1">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2007/12/interview_takashi_iizuka_talks_nights|title=Interview: Takashi Iizuka Talks NiGHTS|last1=Taylor|first1=Mike|date=5 December 2007|website=[[Nintendo Life]]|publisher=Nlife Media|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175007/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2007/12/interview_takashi_iizuka_talks_nights|archive-date=3 March 2016|access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/games/nights-journey-of-dreams|title=Nights: Journey of Dreams|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010110956/http://www.ign.com/games/nights-journey-of-dreams|archive-date=10 October 2017|url-status=live|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref>

Sega Studios USA oversaw the development of ''[[Sonic Rivals]]'' (2006) and ''[[Sonic Rivals 2]]'' (2007) by [[Backbone Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theghz.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1872|title=GHZ Interviews (#1): Taylor Miller, Sonic Rivals producer|last=Sharma|first=Made|date=1 December 2006|website=The GHZ|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220002850/http://www.theghz.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1872|archive-date=20 December 2015|url-status=live|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> In 2008, Sega Studios USA merged with Sonic Team,<ref name=":4" /> making Iizuka the head of Sonic Team and a vice president of product development for Sega.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":0" />  In 2016, Iizuka relocated to Los Angeles to oversee development, with the goal of making the studios there "a centralized hub for the global brand".<ref name=":4" />