SEGA “Modernization” Just Killed Sonic Generations Remaster

Look how they massacred my boy...

I'm so tired of seeing games and characters neutered in the name of "modernization" - The latest victim? Sonic X Shadow Generations. A game beloved by fans for its fast-paced action, quirky characters, and timeless moments is now being sanitized... beyond recognition.

Sega, seemingly under the pressure to conform to today’s hyper-sensitive 'consultation mafia' climate, has been tweaking and altering Sonic Generations to the point where it barely even resembles the original—stripping away decades of charm, personality, and character dynamics that fans adored.

Bye Bye Amy Rose Love Interest...

First and foremost, Amy isn’t in love with Sonic anymore. Yeah... Apparently, the powers that be decided that showing a female character expressing any kind of HINT at a romantic interest in a male character is just too 'problematic' these days. Amy’s long-standing crush on Sonic, a defining aspect of her character for decades, has been erased. The cute, harmless antics that fans have enjoyed for years are gone...

The message is pretty blatant here: the industry doesn’t want to encourage romance, especially of the opposite-sex variety- Strange... Instead, Amy is now reduced to a more "neutral" presence, stripping away the lighthearted fun that has been part of her charm.

Fat Shaming? Not Over Here, Mr!

And then there’s Knuckles, who - in the original Sonic Generations - humorously fat-shamed Sonic. Sure, it was playful banter between friends, something we’ve all experienced, but apparently, that’s too edgy for the modern gaming landscape. No more "Bullying"! Now, instead of the cheeky insult, Knuckles asks Sonic about some random island, which makes absolutely ZERO sense in the context of the scene.

It’s an empty, forced line that fails to land. It’s like the developers are terrified of offending anyone, even at the expense of the game’s character dynamics and humor.

Playful Pushes and Antics is a No No too!

Then there’s the scene where Amy gives Knuckles a shove. In the original, Knuckles was knocked back, flying far enough to hit a tree behind him—a (one time) classic moment of slapstick comedic exaggeration. But no, that’s too violent now, I guess...

In the updated version, Amy gives him a small, barely noticeable push, and Knuckles takes a single step back. It’s like they’re afraid of showing any physical conflict at all, even in a cartoonish, light-hearted context like this.

Are we really at the point where we can’t show two animated characters having a harmless scuffle? It's just so weird. WHY change it? It's such a small difference. Why change ANY of this stuff?

Face palm! Nuh uh! This needs to APPEAL!

These are just a few examples. The list goes on and on. Sonic once cupped Amy’s face in his hand—a small, intimate gesture that fit the playful nature of their relationship. But now, that scene has been altered, with Sonic’s hand positioned differently, so it doesn’t look like he’s being a “dominant male” anymore.

Or how Krack on Twitter caught Rouge's back being censored to a point where her wings clip through her clothes now? It makes no sense. There's got to be some sort of ESRB or ratings guidelines that have incrementally increased in fervor over recent years:

I don't mean to be that person, but can Sega stop doing this? I didn't think they'd censor Rouge further, but they've even covered up her back now.

It looks bad, it's impossible to put on with her wings, and nobody likes it. Stop being cowards.

Seemingly every single moment that had any hint of personality, emotion, or character interplay has been scrubbed clean and replaced with bland, safe interactions designed not to offend anyone. This isn’t Sonic Generations anymore—this is a hollow, soulless shell of what once was.

And why? It’s obvious. This has everything to do with DEI initiatives and improving ESG scores to attract investors. Sega, like so many others these days have bent over backwards to appeal to the current climate, sacrificing artistic integrity in the process. They’ve painted over a vibrant, fun game with a giant, bland brush in the name of political correctness. The goal isn’t to improve the game or respect the fans who loved it— it never was. No - it’s to appeal to corporate investors who care more about ticking diversity boxes than creating something that actually resonates with the people who buy and play these games. That's what the industry has devolved to.

Sega should know better than this. They should be leading the industry, not bowing to it... But poor decisions over the years call for desperate measures in times like this. Desecrating beloved art like this is abhorrent, and we deserve better. We deserve the games we love, not sanitized, “modernized” versions designed to cater to an overly sensitive minority at the expense of everything that made these games special. If this is what “progress” looks like in gaming, then I'm ready to... Regress.

~Smash