>>718955264
>episode 1 is a cheap mobile game with bad physics that was rebranded as a long-time fan requested game after most of the work was already done; despite this, it sells well
>episode 2 comes out around two years later (almost defeating the point of the episodic format), and is a slight improvement in some areas like presentation, but still features bad physics that the devs tried to "hide" by adding scripts to the level design itself that would make sonic go faster if he rolled down only certain hilld (Sonic Generations also did something similar, pretty much confirming Sonic Team had/has no real grasp on what fans are actually asking for); doesn't sell anywhere near what Sega was expecting
>low sales results in episode 3 getting cancelled (which apparently would have been developed by a collaboration between the devs behind the Castle of Illusion remake and Christian Whitehead), and almost causes Sonic Mania to not get greenlit a few years later because Sega's higherups thought episode 2's reception was an example of people not having an interest in classic sonic-styled games
Whole project was a mess.