A few weeks ago, we published a video about why Nintendo is so aggressive towards fan
games.
Now, it’s time to look at the other side of the coin.
Why does Sega love fan games so much?
Why don’t they threaten fan creators with legal action the same way other companies
do?
Well, it’s worth noting that Sega wasn’t always like this.
In 2011, for example, the company crushed an ambitious Streets of Rage fan remake.
At the time, a Sega spokesperson said: “We need to protect our intellectual property
rights and this may result in us requesting that our fans remove online imagery, videos
or games in some instances.”
It’s interesting to note that earlier this year, Sega finally approved the release of
a new Streets of Rage game which was made by fans.
Streets of Rage 4 was built by the talented Lizardcube, a studio that started by building
a fan remake of the Sega Master System classic, Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap.
One of Sega’s earliest moves to embrace fan games was the decision to work with fan
game creator Christian Whitehead.
Christian, also known as the Taxman, sent Sega a video of his own fan work: a mobile
remake of the underrated classic Sonic CD.
Sega had been so impressed that they’d hired Christian to complete his project, followed
by similar mobile remakes for Sonic 1 and 2.
This, though, was as far as Sega’s corporate structure would allow things to go at the
time.
According to Sega’s social media guru Aaron Webber, the San Francisco-based Sega office
was not yet ready to develop a closer relationship with fangame creators.
Aaron said: “Sonic Mania would never have happened in
San Francisco.
100%, that project would never have gotten off the ground.
And by the way, I think they might have even tried for stuff like that.”
So what changed?
Well, Sega changed.
Sega of America was downsized significantly.
The company’s San Francisco office closed entirely, and a newly restructured, far smaller
team started working out of Irvine, California.
The newly shrunken team meant that Sega of America became a far less corporate entity.
There was more room for experimentation, and new ideas were welcomed.
As someone who experienced both the old and new Sega, Aaron Webber says that there were
some elements of old Sega that were more fun, but that the working environment in the current,
smaller office is far more fulfilling.
It was during this era that Christian Whitehead, Simon Thomley, and other creators were able
to successfully pitch Sonic Mania to Sega.
It might be hyperbolic to claim that this project alone changed everything, but it certainly
had a big impact on Sega’s attitude to fan games.
Recently, Ivo Gerscovich, Chief Brand Officer for Sonic Studio at Sega of America, participated
in an AMA on Reddit.
This seemed like a perfect opportunity for us while researching this video, so we asked
him: “Why has Sega chosen to encourage fan art
and community projects, and what do you feel are the benefits of this policy?”
In response, he said: “Hopefully it has come across over the years,
but we love our fans.
By embracing the fanbase, we can all enjoy Sonic together.
Sonic Mania is a great example of truly embracing our fans and working with them to create amazing
content all can enjoy.
I don't know too many publishers who have done this or would have attempted this hybrid
project (Christian and team working in partnership with Sonic Team) that turned out to be one
of the best Sonic games of all time.”
So it seems that the success of Sonic Mania, and Sega’s close relationship with Christian
Whitehead, has convinced the company that encouraging fans is the best way not only
to build a sense of community, but also to find new talent.
In 2016, while Mania was in production, the official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube account
commented on a video of a Sonic fan game.
“Sonic” said: “Brb.
DMCA time.
“Just kidding.
Keep making great stuff, Sonic fans.”
This relaxed, casual approach to Sonic fan games has won the company untold respect,
and helped the fan community to thrive.
In a recent livestream, Aaron Webber said of fan games:
“I think we’re really fortunate that Sega as a company, especially with Sonic stuff,
is really open to fan projects and to not constantly shutting them down, in the majority
of cases.
Obviously if there’s a reason if it needs to happen, if someone’s monetizing it.
“But for something that’s just a project of love, Sega’s pretty cool with it, and
I have to give them a lot of kudos for that.
Thanks Sega for that!
Good move!
It’s rare, it really is kind of rare among Japanese companies.”
This shift in perspective has been directly responsible for a growing Sega renaissance.
Sonic Mania and Streets of Rage 4 are just a few games that show how much Sega has gained
from working with, rather than against, fans.
Where once the company was concerned about protecting its intellectual property at all
costs, now, Sega is reaping the benefits from being a little less controlling of its major
IPs.
The moral of the story?
Cooperation is so much better than confrontation.
Life is good when we all learn to share.