>>536483679
They appealed to Sonic fans during that time frame.
Mostly SatAM/AoSTH/Classic era fans.
That's why Colors is written like a classic game with pro-animal rights messaging and environmentalism. It's why Tails is written more like Sally Acorn. It's why Generations is a time travel plot riffing on Sonic CD and Blast to the Past from SatAM. It's why Lost World has roboticization. It's why Forces literally did the resistance fighter Sonic thing and let people play as their OC.