Petition to Include SatAM in the Sonic game franchise

[[USMC]OldSonicFan]

Foreword: This petition still includes many of the classic elements and asks for the inclusion of SatAM cast/locales in the current Sonic game universe and makes a case for the inclusion of Western elements since Sonic is a multinational entity. It is addressed to SoA CEO Mike Hayes with the understanding that it will be handed to the proper authority within SoA. To send it elsewhere would risk not getting it seen by the right eyes. It will likely be handed down from Hayes to the proper liaison for getting it seen by SoJ and Sonic Team.

We will need someone who can effectively translate this document into Japanese if we want this to reach SoJ and Sonic Team independently, so any of you with friends in Japan or just a friend who can read/write in English and Japanese, now's the time to step up.

I intend to launch this petition TONIGHT. If you disagree with launching this document in its present form, please make your concerns known.

Please post actual revisions if you want them to be included by launch time. I've tried to take into account all the constructive feedback we got here while still staying true to our aims. If you agree with the present wording of the document, let me know that as well.

REVISED PETITION:

Mr. Hayes:

We write to you in hopes that our voices may be heard and that together we may bring your company’s treasured mascot back to the forefront of popular culture. While we recognize the Japanese origins and contributions to Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega of America had an instrumental role in his development. He is a multinational character, and we in the West deserve as much of a say in his future as those audiences and developers in the East. We all know that the Sonic franchise has been struggling in the modern game industry. The franchise as a whole lacks continuity, and what’s more, fans demand it. This is why we now formally submit this petition to you for the purpose of including the cast, locales, and general storyline of the Sonic the Hedgehog Saturday morning cartoon series into future Sonic the Hedgehog games and media.

Looking back on Sonic’s history, the Sonic the Hedgehog Saturday morning cartoon series by DiC has stood the test of time with their fan base more so than any other form of Sonic media. Now popularly known as “Sonic SatAM”, the show was cancelled on the premise that it wouldn’t be able to compete with the Power Rangers, which itself only lasted 3 seasons.
However, the Archie Comics Sonic the Hedgehog comic series, which is based on the “SatAM” cartoon, has been running strong since June of 1993, even breaking the Guinness World Record for longest comic book series based on a video game character. It is now in its 18th year of publication. Many comic series, even spinoffs of popular characters like Batman or the X-Men, don’t last more than a few years. This Sonic comic series is highly successful and for good reason. Its stories are deep, the characters have rich personalities, the tone is tastefully darker, and it builds off of the solid foundation provided by the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon.

The 2006 Sonic the Hedgehog game highlighted how much the franchise was struggling. Reviewers like GamesTM denounced it by saying "Sonic's relationship and kiss with Princess Elise truly marked the point the series had veered off into absolute nonsense." There have been improvements since then, but the Sonic the Hedgehog titles we’ve been given have been underwhelming at best. We are not comfortable staying the course as the Sonic universe drifts into ridiculousness; nor are we content letting our favorite video game character disappear into the pages of history as one who was once more recognizable than Mickey Mouse. It was not merely disappointing game play that didn’t meet the gold standard we expect from the Sonic franchise. In this, the age of next generation gaming, a compelling storyline is expected as well. The Sonic the Hedgehog “SatAM” continuity can give the franchise the depth and drama it needs to excel beyond the competition and return to its former glory. The East has given the Sonic franchise their part, it is time to acknowledge and incorporate Western elements as well.

We, the undersigned, ask that Sega put its faith in the fans of Sonic the Hedgehog and incorporate the world of Mobius, as seen in the Sonic the Hedgehog “SatAM” cartoon series, complete with the Freedom Fighters (Sally Acorn, Bunnie Rabbot, Antoine, and Rotor) into the Sonic game franchise. The hopes, dreams, fears, capabilities, and chemistry of these characters allow the story to become much deeper and allow the audience to become much more invested in their struggles. The locales and tastefully dark tone of “SatAM” sets them in a more realistic and exotic world with meaningful conflicts and history, opposing the current notion of anthropomorphic animals inexplicably running around in a world populated by humans. Allowing this to happen would give Sonic the continuity and support the franchise desperately needs as it moves further into the 21st century. The tone and character cast are ideal for Western audiences and will certainly gain support among the casual gamers of Japan as well. More importantly, a continuity which resembles the “SatAM” cartoon or the popular comics will appeal to multiple generations of gamers: those who are just starting to play and those who still have not forgotten Sonic and his first blockbuster games. Takashi Ilzuka promised that upcoming titles like Sonic Generations would be made to celebrate Sonic with all the fans. To leave out this popular Western continuity entirely doesn’t ring true to his message. It is high time that the Blue Blur had his own renaissance, and this will give it to him.

We implore you to strongly consider this petition and submit it with your blessing to Sonic Team and Sega of Japan. We will be attempting to contact Hajime Satomi, CEO of Sega of Japan, and Takashi Ilzuka, head of Sonic Team, in a similar fashion. We thank you for your time and consideration.


Very Respectfully,


The Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog

[Justin Summerville]

I like what I've read so far. Now I don't know what I can do to help (i.e., where I can send this to, what I can add, etc.), but I wanted to let you know that I've at least taken advantage of my Facebook account ad posted the petition on the discussion board of the official Sonic the Hedgehog page. I only realize now that I probably should have gotten your permission first, so I apologize. Anyway, it's a beginning.

Here's where you can find what I did:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic ... 3050342417

[[USMC]OldSonicFan]

I like what I've read so far. Now I don't know what I can do to help (i.e., where I can send this to, what I can add, etc.), but I wanted to let you know that I've at least taken advantage of my Facebook account ad posted the petition on the discussion board of the official Sonic the Hedgehog page. I only realize now that I probably should have gotten your permission first, so I apologize. Anyway, it's a beginning.

Here's where you can find what I did:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic ... 3050342417

Nothing we do about it now, Justin. You've shown some initiative at least. Tack on the link below to help us get started. The wording has been tweaked in the final draft of the petition, so its a little different from yours, but the core elements are still there.

THE PETITION IS ONLINE!
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/IncludeSonicSatAM
Our goal is 50,000 signatures. I understand this is lofty, but I believe it can be done, especially given how we hail from all over the US and even other parts of the World. There's a lot of networking potential for this petition, since it isn't geographically isolated

I'd appreciate it if a moderator could start a topic and include that in the News & Updates section.

What to do from here:
-Go on Facebook & Twitter and spread the news, give out the link freely
-Go on Youtube, find Sonic videos and include this link in your comments
-Message video Sonic uploaders and give them this link, ask for help in publicizing
-Go to other forums and
-Tell your friends/family about it. Ask if they'll click on the link and sign. After all, it takes less than 20 seconds to do so.

Let's Roll

[Tobibrocki]

Madening moments here, I cannot re-sign this petition.

I signed it by using the connection to my facebook profile, then however noticed that my name (thanks to having foreign letters in it), shows up crippled. So I clicked on the (X) to remove it (my signature) and place a manual entry instead. That however does not work, I then created a new profile really quickly to try it that way. Same result, it keeps telling me I cannot sign because I already signed (even though I cannot see my entry).... . =(

Either Petitionspot takes a while to remove signatures, OR the signature has a IP coding in it which might prevent me from signing again. I hate it when little things like this turn into an annoyance. =/

Anyhow, lesson learned, never try to delete a signature on Petitionspot! =|

[Hyram the Hedgehog]

¿Uh? OK, I'm game, signed 75# of 50.000 Also I published the petition on FB for sake's of hooking a couple signs more...

[Hakuzo NightFox]

Signed and posted on twitter.

[Elisto Dragonwings]

Hmm, looks like you've got a few trolls in the signature list.

Would you really need to translate it to Japanese to send it to SoJ? It'd probably be a good idea, but if you can't find anyone to translate, is it necessary? I'm sure they have people who can read English and I'd imagine they get mail in English at least sometimes.

[GekiTheReviewer]

Well at least we know that Dicks support us. It is very comforting to have multiple dicks backing us up on this.

[Neon Black]

^ Well, I have noticed there are a lot of dicks in the Sonic fandom, so if they're on our side, all the better!

I'd appreciate it if a moderator could start a topic and include that in the News & Updates section.

I've moved this thread to the News section and taken the liberty of editing your opening post.

50,000 is, honestly, probably way, way, way too large a goal to hit especially with the fact that SatAM is a niche inside the fandom. (For comparison's sakes, a petition to add a 'classic' style Sonic to Sonic 4 bowed out with barely over a thousand signatures).

All the same though, I think this is worth getting behind. Even if people who wish for SatAM elements to be rolled back into the main line of games don't get that wish, it's always beneficial for us as a community to maintain as large a presence as much as we can. That doesn't just mean us SMS guys either -- it means the whole SatAM fandom.

[[USMC]OldSonicFan]

We got to #50 signatures somehow with zero publicity. I eventually started messaging people with Sonic youtube videos.

I understand 50,000 is very high. I can edit that goal number within the petition if necessary, but if someone is already viewing the page and they see how easy it is to sign, I don't think they'd be too disheartened to see they're one of the first.

The more publicity the better. Some Eastern European kid even publicized our petition on his youtube channel for all of his subscribers.

Tobibrocki, did you verify your signature through your email account? Maybe that's why it didn't show?

[Tobibrocki]

Allrighty, seems like the problem really was Petitionspot taking a while to delete my previous entry. I signed it again a few moments ago via the new account I made yesterday. So, all is well now! =3

[Justin Summerville]

As of now, you have 92 signatures. Considering the short period of time that the petition's been up, that's quite impressive. I can't seem to put the link to the petition on YouTube, but I already have the word spread to Bumbleking (the official comics forum) and the Sega of America boards' Cartoon and Comic section - maybe I should consider putting it on another subsection as well, lke General Discussion.

[Elisto Dragonwings]

Be careful not to post it in multiple sub-forums on the same site. Generally, you start to be considered spam if you post it multiple times on one site.

[[USMC]OldSonicFan]

I haven't done much outside of contacting various video uploaders on youtube since I've had a busy week. Even then, I've gone months without noticing messages I've gotten on Youtube so I don't expect better from them. The petition has done well with next to no publicity but we need to crash other communities and get this noticed. Honestly, just sending our message and putting "thumbs up if you piss on the side of the toilet so it doesn't make any noise" will get your comment in the top comments section more often than not if you choose to go out and "spam" videos.

[Elisto Dragonwings]

I hope I understand what you're saying...

But you don't want to get noticed for something that will hurt the petition. It may get you signatures, but to me it seems like if you go about this unprofessionally, Sega won't take it seriously. And I know I would be skeptical of signing something I actually care about if it's being presented as spam and turning up in inappropriate places. Plus, if you put it up in multiple subforums on a single website, you risk having them all removed.