>>535683493
Because of '06's negative reception, we spent an entire decade with:
>All shitty friends shelved and non-playable except Tails and Classic Sonic
>Boostshit replacing Adventure-esque gameplay
>Meta ironic meme humor aimed at people who hate Sonic
>Stories and lore getting completely gutted and sterilized
>Constant nostalgia pandering because they became scared of risks
>All humans gone and going unmentioned except for Eggman
So when they reference or post about '06, it means they're no longer afraid and ashamed of it. It means the series has recovered from '06's catastrophic failure. It means we get back some of the characters and lore that was basically missing for so long, and it means that the franchise is taking itself semi-seriously again.
It's about what referencing '06 represents, basically. It means we're doing better.