Archie had more acknowledgement in the games than IDW ever did.
Archie was included in Sonic Mega Collection. In both Japan and the US. With an entire readable issue of Sonic's early publication history.
IDW's classic comics are not in origins. Not even the free comic book day ones.
This shows how little SEGA cares about IDW.
They'll acknowledge Archie but not IDW.
SEGA takes pride in Archie, Senoue-sama even using it as his justification for working on Mega Man Songs instead of Sonic the Hedgehog Songs for Super Smash Brothers.
It begs the question of why SEGA is so ashamed of IDW. The so-called 'reference' to Whisper's board is extremely questionable and tenuous. It does nothing to introduce new audiences to the character. You'd have to be IDW-obsessed to even 'pick up on it' as a 'reference'.
Even X is acknowledged with Amy's swimsuit but no one expects characters from Sonic X to be in the game unless they're obsessed with shipping.