This week brings contrasting news for fans of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise: celebrations of the series’ 35th anniversary alongside the closure of one of its former developers. Meta announced the shuttering of Sanzaru Games, the studio responsible for Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal and Sonic Boom: Fire & ice on the Nintendo 3DS, as part of a wider company restructuring. The move reflects meta’s shift away from metaverse investments and towards wearable technology, impacting multiple internal studios including Armature Studio and Twisted Pixel.
Sega is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its iconic Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, which first debuted on the Genesis platform on June 21, 1991, with a new trailer and planned celebrations throughout 2026. The announcement comes as the gaming industry continues to see strong demand for established intellectual property.
In a separate development, Sanzaru Games, the studio behind Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal and Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice for the Nintendo 3DS, has been shuttered by its parent company, Meta. The closure of Sanzaru Games reflects a broader restructuring within Meta, which also owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The move follows similar closures of Armature Studio and Twisted Pixel, other studios within the Meta group.
Sanzaru Games had recently been focusing on virtual reality game development for Meta. According to the company, the studio closures are part of a strategic shift, reducing investment in the metaverse to prioritize the development and growth of wearable devices. This adjustment signals a recalibration of Meta’s long-term technology roadmap.
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Fans can revisit the history of the franchise by exploring all of the Sonic games released to date. The news of Sanzaru Games’ closure has prompted discussion among gaming enthusiasts.
