Analysis Analysis has found that fans of
Sonic the Hedgehog form strong emotional connections with the franchise's protagonist, Sonic, often identifying as his companion. The children's book author Caleb Zane-Huett discusses that Sonic has always been a character who has his own personality; for example, Sonic would break the
fourth wall with annoyance. Zane-Huett said that the first game
Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), does much to persuade the player that Sonic is not just a player-controlled character, which provides a vision where the player questions who they are in the game. Game developer Nick Splendorr added that players may identify as friends with Sonic or his companion rather than himself. Media scholar and gaming culture researcher James Newman has examined how differences in regional releases of older titles in the series, such as the distorted graphics and deaccelerated music and gameplay of the European
PAL version of
Sonic 1 compared to the Japanese and North American
NTSC versions, has been a topic of interest amongst nostalgic players, and led to debates about authorial intent, canonicity, and preferred or inferior qualities of each. These practices also occur within the
participatory culture of the fandom, in which texts (both fan and official localized translations) are judged based upon their compatibility with the series' canon and original Japanese source material, with fans often rectifying perceived inconsistencies through the creation of fan theories.
Online communities and conventions The
Sonic the Hedgehog fandom has splintered into numerous subcommunities, each developing their own identity and interests.
Sonic subreddit moderator David Manzolillo declared that the fandom can make any type of fan thrive, and feel accepted regardless of their views and backgrounds. Another moderator Efrain Astorga, known as Fay online, spoke how all of the fans respect among each other despite their diverse views on the games, regarded as uncommon among other video game communities. Websites emerged to support them, such as Sonic Retro, a
wiki that keeps detailed records of beta versions and hacks of official games,
Fan-made games Fans of the
Sonic franchise have been known to create well-received
fan games. Sega has often allowed these projects to continue without issuing
cease and desists to their developers. The website Sonic Fan Games HQ hosts the online annual event
Sonic Amateur Games Expo (SAGE), which showcases both fan-made and original games. Notable
Sonic fan games include
Sonic After the Sequel (2013), set between the events of
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and
3;
Sonic Dreams Collection (2015), which satirizes the fandom;
Sonic Robo Blast 2, which has continued to receive support since its development began in 1998; and
Sonic P-06, an in-progress remake of the poorly-received
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). Fans has been involved in the
ROM hacking community. Fans mainly create ROM hacks for the early 1990s games for the
Sega Genesis, usually adding features from other games or restoring lost media.
Sonic Mania, a 2017 video game released by Sega with critical acclaim, was developed by fans who have previously worked on
Sonic ROM hacks, fan games, and mobile remasters of
Sonic 1,
2 and
CD. Whilst some fans went on to work on official games, others took inspiration from the series and created their own games. Notable original games include
Freedom Planet (2014) and
Spark the Electric Jester (2017). In 2016, Sega update dozens of its Genesis re-released games (including
Sonic games) on
Steam with the service's workshop support, allowing fans to upload and share modification of these games on the service.
Fan art Fans have created
fan art of the
Sonic franchise, including
queer art. Fans create
original characters (OC) known as
Sonic OCs to be embedded into their own fictional narratives and interact with
Sonic cast directly, often posting their OCs on DeviantArt. Many fan artists who have drawn OCs perceived as low-quality have improved their skills over time. Jennifer Hernandez, a fan artist was contracted to work on the
Sonic comics as a result of her fan art. Due to the vastness of
Sonic OCs, a fad became popularized among people to search their name alongside the phrase "Sonic OC" and then share their results online.
Sonic the Hedgehog is a popular subject for artists and writers involved in the furry fandom, which is associated with sexual themes. Fans have occasionally drawn fetish art of Sonic. Some artists may draw him and other series characters depicted as sexually attractive. Fans of the series have produced extensive erotic art online. Ben Richmond, writing for
Vice, wrote that most of the art was likely created by young adolescents. Mandy Jones, a social worker, stated that young adolescents often become curious about sexuality, emphasizing the visualization of sexuality as healthy. Although, she expressed concern over the possibility of adolescents engaging in themes of
sexual violence. Fans often create content involving
Sonic characters gaining unrealistic amounts of weight. Examples includes
feederism,
vore,
body inflation, and
Mpreg. Fans who create Mpreg fiction of the series often fixate on
Omegaverse and allow both in-series and
crossover shipping. Titles like
Sonic 2 and
Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) are popular submissions on streaming sites and leaderboards like
Speed Demos Archive, speedrun.com, or the franchise-specific website,
the Sonic Center. Writer Erica Lenti has noted that through working together to accomplish a
common goal, speedrunning can strengthen social bonds, with an interviewed
Sonic Mania player explaining that a "sense of community" and nostalgia for playing the games at a younger age had encouraged them to keep returning to the series. ==Internet culture==