Let's do it to it!

A tricky question!

The Sonic Team has gone through a number of names over the years as Sega split and merged its various divisions. Let’s dive into a bit of history, starting at the very beginning.

The original “Sonic Team” was formed in 1990, consisting of programmer Yuji Naka, level designer Hirokazu Yasuhara, and artist Noto Oshima. They took the name Sonic Team in 1991 with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis, though the division’s other games created at that time did not use that name.

After the release of Sonic 1, Naka, Yasuhara, and other other developers were reshuffled to California to join the Sega Technical Institute. Naka and Yasuhara developed Sonic 2 at STI, while Oshima worked on Sonic CD. At this time, Takashi Iizuka was also working at STI with Naka.

After the release of Sonic & Knuckles, Naka returned to Japan after being offered a role as a producer. He was in charge of Sega’s Consumer Development Department (CS3). Naka, Oshima, and Takashi Iizuka began working on new games together for the Sega Saturn, though few Sonic games were released for it.

Since the Sonic Team was preoccupied with Nights into Dreams, the last Sonic Genesis game- Sonic 3D Blast- was outsourced to Travellers Tales. Bonus levels were developed by the Sonic Team for a Saturn port, which were released in place of the canceled STI Sonic X-treme game. Yasuhara relocated to London to aid in the development of the game Sonic R (1997), which was being co-developed by the Sonic Team and Traveller’s Tales. Sonic Jam is the only other sonic game developed for the Sega Saturn- while being a compilation game, the Sonic Team experimented with 3D sonic gameplay through the development of the game’s 3D overworld.

Unfortunately, the Saturn was a failure, and Sega shifted it’s focus on the Dreamcast, launched in 1998 in Japan. Sonic Team had been working on a 3D sonic game for the Saturn but moved development to the Dreamcast. Iizuka lead the project, developing into the game Sonic Adventure (1998).

CS3 was renamed to Sega Research and Development Department 8 (R&D No. 8… or AM8, or Sega-AM8). Until 2000, media referred to the Sonic Team as both R&D No. 8 and Am8.

After the release of Sonic Adventure, twelve Sonic members moved to San Francisco to establish the Sonic Team USA. Sonic Team achieved success in arcades with Sama de Amigo and began developing online games like ChuChu Rocket!.

In Late 2000, Sega started to restructure its studios. When the departments took new names, Naka ensured that the Sonic Team preserved its brand name. The division’s new legal name as a company was officially Sonic Team, Ltd.

In 2003, the Sega president and COO stepped down from their roles. Hisao Oguchi, the new president of Sega, intended to consolidate Sega’s studios into four of five core operations. The Sonic Team absorbed United Game artist, known for Space Channel 5 (1991).

In 2004, Sammy acquired an interest in Sega and formed Sega Sammy Holdings. Sonic Team USA became Sega Studios USA, while Sonic Team Ltd. became Sega’s Global Entertainment 1 research and development division, though the team is still referred to as Sonic Team.

By 2010, Sonic Team was part of the CS Research and Development No. 2 (CS2). Sega Studios merged with the Sonic Team and Iizuka was the head of the department.

Answer: “Sonic Team” was used all the way back when Sonic 1 was developed, but became the legal name of their division in 2000. Although the Sonic Team became Sega’s Global Entertainment 1 research and development division in 2004, they continue to be called the Sonic Team. Legally and officially, they became the Sonic Team on May 24th, 2000 and have continued to solidify their identity since.

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