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After finally giving a release date for the upcoming classic Sonic collection Sonic Origins, SEGA announced today this would soon be the only way to purchase those games digitally. On May 20, more than a month before Sonic Origins releases on June 23, SEGA will delist all standalone versions of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic CD. The only two exceptions are that Sonic 1 and 2 will still be available through the SEGA AGES ports on Nintendo Switch, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will remain available through the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.

Source (GBAtemp Inbox)

 

[B.B.Link]

At this point who gives a shit. There are so many ways to play these games now. And there's nothing this compilation is offering that's worth all the BS preorder roadmap garbage its selling that fans hasn't already added to these games. You know most of the music in sonic 3 will probably be changed anyway which is an instant purchase killer for me. I guess that's how re-releases are going to be from now on. Release and re-charge you for a game we've played a million times, add little to nothing to it to encourage you to replay it, and delete any alternate way of playing it from history.

Video Games 2022

 

[SonicRings]

As if the vomit-inducing monetization "scheme" involving the chart with 5 columns wasn't bad enough, the game also has Denuvo? AND they're delisting the original games??? Definite pass from me. Fuck you, SEGA.

 

[pustal]

Ah hell nah sonic origins got ea micro transaction? TIME TO BOOT UP ORIGINAL HARDWARE

Or Sonic Jam. It's the last non-emulated port of the games, with extra game modes to rebalance them or original if you want to, adds a simple save game system to Sonic 1 and uses sound recorded on a model 1 SMD (the only downside is that because it's pre-recorded the sound isn't adaptive).

 

[the_randomizer]

Total dick move. Gonna pirate more of their games to spite them

 

[B.B.Link]

Total dick move. Gonna pirate more of their games to spite them

Thats your answer to everything.

 

[MaxiBash]

Don't forget Sonic CD too:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/200940/Sonic_CD/

I was actually planning on buying these eventually, I might as well purchase them before May hits just to be sure.
I'll also get Origins when it appears, but I never liked this business tactic of removing the original version when an improved one hits, what's the harm?
This is the reason why we don't have the original RE1, RE2 or RE3 on Steam neither, I bet.

$$$, that's why. Sega still generates ad revenue from Sonic 1 and 2 on mobile because those games are still popular. Sonic CD on mobile probably isn't and is getting therefore nuked.

 

[the_randomizer]

Thats your answer to everything.

Who the hell cares if it is?

 

[YamiZee]

They're all 5 dollars each on steam so I presume the collection will be about $20? No? It's $40??

 

[Justinde75]

Not sure if this was mentioned yet, but these all have official mod support in the steam workshop. So them being delisted would take away offical mods from people who didnt get it before

 

[matpower]

Or Sonic Jam. It's the last non-emulated port of the games, with extra game modes to rebalance them or original if you want to, adds a simple save game system to Sonic 1 and uses sound recorded on a model 1 SMD (the only downside is that because it's pre-recorded the sound isn't adaptive).

Jam isn't the last non-emulated port of the games, after all the Taxman remakes do exist. Sonic CD (2011) being one of them, and the 1 and 2 ports on Android/iOS (which are playable on PC with the source code decompilation). Overall, the Taxman remakes should match closely the original games (some people have picked up the small differences in the engine) and are arguably the best way to play them currently. Origins is using Retro Engine like those games, and from what people have seen, it is basically RSDKv5 (used in Sonic Mania) but with a compatibility mode or something.

Speaking of the decompilations, if you pair them up with mods (Sonic 1 Forever, Sonic 2 Absolute and Sonic CD Restored) and use 3 A.I.R for 3&K, you should have the best experience out of original classics, to the point where it could rival Origins' bonus content. So if Origins end up sucking hard, we still have those options left.

 

[CeeDee]

Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, and Sonic CD are remaining on iOS and Android!

Play these classics and more when Sonic Origins releases on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Steam, and Epic June 23rd!

🔵💨#SEGAForever #SonictheHedgehog pic.twitter.com/ksKXgoBHy4

— SEGA Forever (@SEGAForever) April 26, 2022

A bit of good news here, the mobile versions are staying up. They are also free, and this also means the files needed for the mobile decompilations will remain easily accessible.

 

[StrayGuitarist]

God fucking damn it.

 

[MadMakuFuuma]

Nintendo pretty much follows the same shit rhetoric, if not worse.
If you haven't noticed, All-Stars seems to be missing from almost all Virtual Console/NSO re-releases.
They don't want you to play the remakes of the original NES titles, much less in a bundle since they get less money from it.

The other remakes they've done are pretty much stuck in hardware limbo until Nintendo gets to a decent enough hardware to emulate WiiU/3DS stuff.

i think is you that havent noticed what he said:

" SEGA does what Nintendoes. " that is what he said. that nintendo do the same thing. english is not even my primary language, and i understand that first time i read lol

 

[LoggerMan]

Cybershell is more upset about Denuvo than the delisting of inferior versions.

 

[Glyptofane]

Picked 'em up a long time ago as part of the Genesis Classics collection. Was a really good value on sale considering it works both in VR and on Steam Deck.

You get to legally own the raw roms for most of the best Genesis games in existence and do whatever you want with them that way too which is the main reason I bought the Steam collection. That and it's frequently super cheap. I guess it will just be missing the Sonic games now? They're arguably the most iconic titles in the collection!

 

[Drak0rex]

Sega really sucks donkey balls sometimes.

Monkey Balls, even

 

[SS4]

Just get this bundle so you will be safe if they delist any Sonic game in the future
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/13382/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_Ultimate_Bundle/

 

[MetoMeto]

sonic origins is digital only??
no thanks...

 

[MicroNut99]

Thank you!
Love legit owning this rom: Sonic_Knuckles_wSonic3.bin

 

[ShadowOne333]

Just got myself all of the Sonic Classic titles from Steam.
Sonic 1, 2 and 3&K (and 3D Blast for those interested) are all included in this package:
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/10143/SEGA_Mega_Drive_and_Genesis_Classics/

Spoiler: Purchased Sonic games

I personally purchased them individually (even 3D Blast since it has such an iconic OST) , and once bought, they show up as "Sega MegaDrive and Genesis Classics" in your Steam Library.
The ROMs are handled as DLC of sorts (I believe?), and the only one of the bunch that appears as its own game is Sonic CD.
All in all, they're pretty cheap, I say get them while you have the chance between now and May 20th just to have them handy later on.
I do own these games physically, but I still wanted to have them in my digital library for times to come.

This is how game ROMs of old consoles should be handled, a one-and-done digital purchase that makes you the owner of the ROMs to use however you'd like, not through some shady online-only rental service that provides you only with what the company wants with the only means they want, and worse yet, where you don't own shit.
All companies should be forced into such a practice, so that people can shut the fuck about "eMuLaTorZ R pIrAcY!!!11!!!1!".