Playing Sonic 4 at E3 was like being splashed in the face with a bucket of cold water. Finally, a 2D Sonic, in high definition, that played as well as the classic games. This is what we've been been hoping for through the years. After the show, I was able to speak with Ken Balough, the digital brand manager for Sonic 4, and Aaron Webber, the assistant community manager for Sega of America. My first question was a simple one: after all these games that disappointed what we consider to be the core fans, is Sonic damaged goods?

"From a brand standpoint, Sonic is a very popular brand. It's second only to Mario in terms of popularity. Is it a damaged brand? Absolutely not." Balough told us. The issue is some people grew up with a very specific idea of what Sonic is, and those people were not being served by the games being released. "There is a vocal community that grew up with Sonic on a 2D playing field, and that's really what they want. We understand Sonic is a huge brand, and this way we can cater to what everyone wants."

Webber agrees, pointing out that the level of enthusiasm and conversation that accompanies each release, even if it's not what fans wanted, demonstrates the ongoing love for the character. "Sonic is never damaged goods for those people, because they're always hoping for the game they wanted. Something that makes them feel way they felt when they played those old games. Sonic holds a special place in the hearts of all those fans."

Even the chronically disappointed show how much they care about Sonic. "There are people who are very critical, but they're critical because they're hopeful about getting the gameplay they remember."

Why now?

Finally, after all the Werehogs and the minigames and the guest stars, we're getting what we want. So what took so long? "A big part of it is we have the right team at the right time that wanted to make this game," Balough told us.

From the development team to the producers to marketing, everyone seemed to come together in their enthusiasm. "You can't just do a 2D Sonic and name it something different, whether it's digital or not, this is going to be perceived as the fourth Sonic, so why not just say this is Sonic 4 and make the game everyone wanted? Why wasn't it done before? I can't say," said Balough. "I've been working on the Sonic brand for around three years; when we came here we knew what we liked about Sonic, and when this opportunity arose we pushed hard to make Sonic 4."

That also lead the team to create an episodic, digital product. "If we wanted to create Sonic 4 and mitigate our risk, make sure we deliver the game everyone wanted, the best way to do was episodical. That allows people to digest it in bite-sized chunks, paying $10 or $15 for the first episode and so on. If you divide it into a certain amount of chunks, people are willing to absorb it easier," Balough argues. "It's kind of like buying a car—very few people just balls-out say 'Here's $30,000 for a new car,' but if you break it out into car payments..."

This way the risk is lower for the consumer, and each chunk of the game is a much easier sell. Why compete with a ton of other products at the $50 or $60 price point when you can make it more of an impulse buy for consumers?

Of course, this introduces some risk for fans, as each section is being created in sequence; they aren't being finished ahead of time. The story is in the bag, but now the games have to actually be developed. "We have every intention of releasing the complete story, but if it comes out and not a single soul buys it and it becomes a losing thing... well, if no one really wanted it I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't release the second. But as it stands, I don't see that as a risk," Balough explained to Ars.

Webber points out that they're delivering what everyone has always said they wanted. "I don't want to sound too cocky about it, but this is the best direction for Sonic to take, and I hope the fans support that and in doing so will also support the series."

The first episode will include four zones, each with three acts, and then one boss. In addition, there are seven bonus stages for the chaos emeralds. You can make a first pass through the game in a few hours. Finding all the chaos emeralds and getting the final ending, while exploring each path in the levels—that will take much more time. Online leader boards will also keep people interested.

After the first episode is released, what will the wait be for the next? "We don't want it to be the case where you're waiting two or three years for the next one," Balough told Ars.

More realistically, a year or a year and a half between each section. If you finish the first episode with all the chaos emeralds, you'll get a glimpse at the next section of the game. You'll get a high level of replayability for your initial investment of $10 or $15.

So are they blowing smoke?

The gaming community holds its collective breath each time a Sonic game is announced, waiting to hear about the deal-breaker. With Sonic 4, the game seems to be exactly what we've been looking for all along. After spending close to 20 minutes with the game at E3, I found myself getting excited, and the more I talk to the people handling the game the more it seems like they "get" what we want out of Sonic 4. Fans, it may be safe to get your hopes up this time.