Sega may be right regarding the lack of viability of pixel art in the future

The head of the Sonic Teams, Takashi Iizuki, envisions no future for pixel art in Sonic games. In an interview with GamesRadar for Sonic Superstars, Iizuki described the upcoming Sonic Superstars as an "evolution of 2D Sonic gameplay" and stated, "While we appreciate pixel art, we do not believe it will be a viable art style or suitable representation for our players as we consider the next ten to twenty years."

My initial reaction, and I am certain that many others will share this sentiment, was one of disgust. How can the Sonic Team completely disregard its roots? Have we already forgotten the critical success of Sonic Mania? Surely, pixel art would have long been extinct if it ever fell out of fashion. Since the days of Super Mario 64, the demise of pixel art has been predicted, yet we continue to receive awe-inspiring pixel art games that are cherished by people, such as Sea of Stars, Cassette Beasts, and Pizza Tower.

Then I reminded myself that I am an old man and that there comes a time when games must stop being made for someone like me.

Video games haven't been around for too long. The first Sonic games were released in 1991 on the Sega Genesis, and they were among the first games I played as a young child (if you can consider "playing" as me likely putting the controller in my mouth). I am still a Sonic fan, often with a sense of regret, and I must admit that I feel my loyalty to Sonic should count for something. The aforementioned Sonic Mania was a game made by fans for the fans, but it is fitting that this game served as a final farewell to the classic Sonic rather than a rebirth.

When Iizuki speaks about the next ten to twenty years, he is referring to developing games for children who haven't even been born yet. He is talking about Sonic fans who have watched the movies before even playing the games and about people whose first Sonic game will be Sonic Superstars. Pixel art is beautiful, but would I have such a strong attachment to it if I hadn't grown up with it? Probably not. What I feel for pixel art is what people will feel for the style of Sonic Superstars in 20 years' time.

Most modern pixel art games, just like Sonic Mania, tap into nostalgia to appeal to fans of a bygone era of gaming. All the aforementioned examples draw heavy inspiration from retro elements, both in their art style and design. A significant part of what makes Sea of Stars special is the fact that it serves as a love letter to Chrono Trigger. And while one doesn't need to have played the SNES classic to enjoy Sea of Stars, it's undeniable that it is a game crafted in the style of the games that resonated with millennials as they grew up. In 20 years, those in their thirties will experience nostalgia for an entirely different kind of game.

I do not believe that pixel art will ever completely disappear. One of the strengths of video games as a medium lies in the boundless variety of aesthetic possibilities that game developers can draw from, and the pixel art style will always resonate with some artists and players. However, over time, the significance of pixel art will naturally diminish. A massive, never-ending franchise like Sonic must evolve with the times and consistently attract and engage new fans. As painful as it may be to admit, Sonic is better off without pixel art.