Sonic! Software Planning
Sonic Co., Ltd. (株式会社ソニック, Kabushiki Gaisha Sonikku, "Sonic Share Company"), branded Sonic! Software Planning, was a Japanese game development studio registered with funding from Sega by Hiroyuki Takahashi on June 12, 1991.[1]
History with Sega
Sonic was founded with six employees including Hiroyuki Takahashi as its president and representative managing director. At the time of its incorporation, Sonic's capital stock totaled forty million yen. Sega Enterprises' investment in Sonic was 85 percent.[2] Climax Entertainment owned 6.25 percent of shares, and Hiroyuki Takahashi owned 4 percent. Although Sonic Software Planning was external to Sega, Sega's controlling interest made Sonic a second-party developer exclusive to Sega's platforms.[1]
By Sega's 1997 and 1998 financial reports, Sonic is no longer listed as one of Sega's subsidiaries.[3][4] Sega merged their remaining investment in Sonic into their subsidiary Nextech by April 1998.[5]
Games Developed
Sonic's founding coincided with the development of Shining Force, a game for which Sonic would provide development support to Climax. Sonic would go on to develop subsequent Shining games without Climax, though they would collaborate with Hiroshi Kajiyama's studio Rit's, as well as R.I.S., Winds, and Seraphic. Sonic would also work alongside Camelot, an independent studio established by Shugo Takahashi in 1994.[6]
Games developed by Sonic before the founding of Camelot include Shining Force Gaiden, Shining Force Gaiden II, and Shining Force II: The Ancient Seal. Shining Force CD and Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict were released after Camelot's formation but were developed by Sonic without Camelot's assistance. Titles credited to both Sonic and Camelot comprise Shining Wisdom, Shining the Holy Ark, and Shining Force III, though Sonic seems to have a no longer been operational by the time of Shining Force III's development.
| Release | Title | Publisher | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Shining Force: Legacy of the Gods | Sega | Mega Drive |
| Shining Force Gaiden: Voyage to the Land of the Wicked God | Sega | Game Gear | |
| 1993 | Shining Force Gaiden II: Awakening of the Wicked God (JP) Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya (NA) |
Sega | Game Gear |
| Shining Force II: The Ancient Seal | Sega | Mega Drive | |
| 1994 | Shining Force CD | Sega | Mega-CD |
| 1995 | Shining Wisdom | Sega | Saturn |
| 1996 | Shining the Holy Ark | Sega | Saturn |
| 1997 | Shining Force III Scenario 1: Towering God of the Royal Capital (JP) Shining Force III (NA) |
Sega | Saturn |
| 1998 | Shining Force III Scenario 2: Divine Child in Peril | Sega | Saturn |
| Shining Force III Scenario 3: Glacial Shrine of the Wicked God | Sega | Saturn |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Investment by Climax and Sega!! Exploring game plans and markets!!" (「クライマックスとセガが出!! ゲームの企画や市場調査!!」), November 1991 Issue, Mega Drive Fan (メガドライブFAN). Tokuma Shoten Intermedia, November 15, 1991. p. 98.
- ↑ 6. Investments in and Advances to Subsidiaries and Affiliates, "Sega Enterprises, Ltd. Annual Report 1995". Sega Enterprises, Ltd., 1995. p. 18.
- ↑ 8. Investments in and Advances to Subsidiaries and Affiliates, "Sega Enterprises, Ltd. Annual Report 1997", Sega.co.jp. Sega Enterprises, Ltd., 1997.
- ↑ 8. Investments in and Advances to Subsidiaries and Affiliates, "Sega Enterprises, Ltd. Annual Report 1998". Sega Enterprises, Ltd., 1998. p. 19.
- ↑ "Historical Record", Nex Entertainment. [Archived] February 5, 2012.
- ↑ 「わたしのゴルフ履歴書〜Vol.22〜株式会社キャメロット 高橋宏之代表取締役社長、高橋秀五代表取締役副社長」. Gridge. Da-Bird, 2020.
Studio Directory
- See alsoː Who Made the Shining Series?
| Shining Studios | |
|---|---|
| Game Studios | Climax Entertainment・Sonic! Software Planning・Camelot Software Planning・Nex Entertainment・Grasshopper Manufacture・Amusement Vision・Neverland Company・Flight-Plan・Sega AM2・Studio Saizensen・Media.Vision |
| Supporting Studios | Rit's・R.I.S.・Seraphic・Winds・Treasure |
| Art Studios | Salamander Factory・Swallowtails・Studio 4°C |
| Related Studios | |
| Game Studios | Enix・Max Entertainment・Matrix Software |