Can Sonic the Hedgehog Be Considered an Esport?

The term “esport” evokes images of competitive games like League of Legends, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. These games dominate global competitions, where players, sponsors, and fans gather to celebrate a fusion of skill, strategy, and team play. Meanwhile, Sonic the Hedgehog is an iconic video game franchise, renowned for its speed, platforming challenges, and single-player adventures since its debut in 1991.

Given this history, can Sonic the Hedgehog be considered an esport in the same way as some of the titles that now boast their betting markets on the Mybookie mobile app? The answer lies in understanding the evolving definition of esports, the competitive nature of speedrunning, and the rise of community-driven tournaments that attempt to elevate Sonic beyond its solo-play origins.

Defining Esports

Before diving into Sonic’s relevance, it’s important to define what constitutes an esport. Traditionally, esports refers to organized, multiplayer video game competitions, often involving professional players, large audiences, and high stakes. The games that thrive in this environment often share key characteristics.

·Competitive Balance – Esports are built around skill-based competition. Players must be able to outperform opponents based on their understanding of the game’s mechanics, strategy, and execution.

·Multiplayer Dynamics – The vast majority of successful esports are multiplayer games, pitting players or teams against each other in real-time to determine a victor.

·Spectator Appeal – For a game to flourish as an esport, it needs to be exciting to watch, with clear objectives, thrilling moments, and the potential for dramatic upsets.

Given these criteria, Sonic the Hedgehog may not immediately seem like an esport contender. The classic Sonic games are largely single-player, focused on running through levels as fast as possible while navigating platforms, defeating enemies, and collecting rings. However, recent developments and trends in gaming have begun to shift this perception.

Sonic and Competitive Speedrunning

If there’s a competitive scene where Sonic naturally shines, it’s in the world of speedrunning. Speedrunning, where players attempt to complete games in the shortest time possible, has developed into its own subculture, complete with leaderboards, marathons, and events like Games Done Quick, a bi-annual event that raises millions for charity while featuring top speedrunners from around the world.

Sonic games, with their emphasis on speed, naturally attract speedrunners, The goal in most Sonic titles is to get through the levels as quickly as possible, avoiding obstacles, optimizing movement, and mastering game mechanics. Competitive speedrunning checks several boxes for what could be considered an esport.

·Skill-based competition – Speedrunning requires a deep understanding of game mechanics, pixel-perfect movement, and route optimization. Players must master the intricacies of Sonic’s acceleration, jump physics, and enemy placement to shave off milliseconds.

·Global Leaderboards – Many speedrunning communities have established leaderboards that rank players based on their fastest completion times. Websites allow players to submit their runs, fostering a competitive environment where world records are hotly contested.

·Community and Events – While not mainstream esports events, speedrunning marathons attract large audiences online. These events offer the same excitement, commentary, and skill-based play found in traditional esports.

However, speedrunning lacks some core elements traditionally associated with esports. For one, it is not a direct player-vs-player experience. While runners compete for world records and can face off in marathons, they are generally playing separately against the clock, rather than directly against each other in real-time. This creates a different dynamic compared to games like Fortnite or Rocket League, where competitors are actively interacting and influencing each other’s gameplay.

Sonic in Multiplayer and Competitive Settings

Beyond speedrunning, Sega has experimented with bringing Sonic into more traditional multiplayer and competitive environments, though the results have been mixed.

One of the first forays into competitive Sonic gameplay was Sonic the Fighters (1996), a 3D fighting game featuring characters from the Sonic universe. While novel, this didn’t achieve the level of popularity or competitive depth required to sustain a long-term competitive scene. Its simplistic mechanics and lack of balance prevented it from gaining traction in the broader fighting game community.

More recently, Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012) and Team Sonic Racing (2019) brought Sonic into the world of competitive racing games. These titles feature multiplayer modes, both online and local, where players can race head-to-head. While enjoyable and praised for their design, these games struggled to break into the upper echelons of competitive racing esports, which remain dominated by more established titles like Mario Kart and Gran Turismo.

Despite these efforts, Sonic has not yet found a mainstream multiplayer game that could be classified as a true esport in the traditional sense. However, this doesn’t mean there’s no potential for the franchise to evolve in this direction.

The Case for Sonic Esports

The gaming landscape is constantly evolving, and esports itself has broadened over the years. What was once limited to a few select games has expanded to include fighting games, battle royales, and even mobile titles. If esports can encompass a variety of game types, there is a case to be made that Sonic the Hedgehog can find its place as well.

One potential pathway for Sonic to be considered an esport is through community-driven competitions. As seen with games like Super Smash Bros, esports success doesn’t always come from developer-led efforts. In the absence of a dedicated competitive scene for Sonic, passionate players have the potential to organize grassroots tournaments, develop multiplayer mods, or create unique challenge formats that could capture the attention of wider audiences.

Another possibility is for Sega to fully commit to designing a Sonic game with competitive esports in mind. This could involve a multiplayer-focused Sonic title with balanced, competitive gameplay, designed to be played in tournaments.

click to enlarge

Sonic’s Place in the Esports Ecosystem

So, can Sonic the Hedgehog be considered an esport? At present, Sonic falls short of the traditional esports definition. The franchise lacks a major multiplayer title that has been embraced by the competitive gaming community in the same way as other iconic esports franchises. However, in the realm of speedrunning, Sonic games already occupy a significant niche, offering the players the opportunity to showcase their skills in a competitive environment.

Looking forward, the potential is there. Whether through the continued growth of speedrunning or a future multiplayer-focused title, Sonic could find a way to claim a spot in the esports landscape. For now, Sonic may not be a household name in esports, but the franchise’s history of innovation and its beloved fanbase make it a contender to watch in the evolving world of competitive gaming.