I just don't buy it. I really don't think this sonic design loving, furry drawing, oc creating fanbase is a big as people make it out to be. It's survived because the games are fun.
The games being fun help because you know...they sell fucking video games. But what lets sonic go beyond is that the designs are really fucking good. And the Sonic is an 06 creating fanbase. I think the furry thing is is irrelevant. Sonic himself and most of his compatriots are purposefully to be easy to draw. And has been effective in that regard in its entire lifespan. The denial of this is not only you letting your own, while reasonable, pessimism cloud your view of reality. Here on earth, sonic has an amazing design that has allowed it to last for years.
If you see people talk about sonic it's about the games ( or how bad they are). People might like the characters designs but are very quick to notice the terrible characterization they have cause that's more important than how they look.
Depends on the conversation. Because actually a lot of people are able to devorce the characters from that if they like them enough. I have never liked silver ever, but he's retained a fair bit of popularity. Because his fanbase essentially created a better version of the character that existed, and then one of those fans worked on the comics and then the people in charge liked it and stole it. So no, if the character has an endearing base, people will latch on to them and do any number of things which actually brings me to your next point.
And Forces just reinforced. You can't just make a character like infinite and get away with it because he looks cool. You have to add the writing to it. Sega thought they had one. And they are so slick now too, thinking they've managed to successfully be self aware about the series they can add some edgy music and create something great and it didnt work. Wasn't even close.
Ifinite doesn't really look cool or have an endearing base. Yes character design and visual design is important, but that doesn't mean it can't be bad. I would argue the zeti are also bad. But on infinite, infinite is not self aware , infinite is the game development being so crazy that he ended up changing three times throughout development and it shows. And their desire to replicate shadow. And they have been trying to do this since 2006. They keep trying to replicate shadows popularity and it didn't work, you are right it does need more. Shadow has that. And I would in ernest make the argument that no one working at sonic team now really understands how any of the old characters tick, nor do they understand how to make new ones. And yeah they could run all of those characters into the fucking dirt. But as it stands... my point stands, these characters design and their world are extremely visually interesting and when put into good products. Like sonic mania , and the comics and probably the cartoon that's supposedly coming up, people engage with them.
I don't know anyone buying sonic cause the characters look cool
Soley off the characters looking cool, I think we are far past that point. But do the characters having neat designs help sell sonic poducts when they are good... yeah.
