Most games in the series are developed by Sonic Team, with the exceptions being various spin-offs by other Sega divisions or other video game companies. In 2020, over one billion cumulative units were sold until then, a number that increased to 1.51 billion in 2022. While sale estimates vary (see Reception below), the Sonic franchise has undoubtedly become a huge commercial success since its inception: as of 2013, the franchise had sold more than 140 million units, making the series the 5th best-selling video game franchise of all time. Sonic was responsible for turning Sega into a leading video game company early in the 16-bit era, and his first game soon replaced Altered Beast as the default pack-in game for the Genesis in North America and Europe, allowing it to directly compete with Nintendo, specifically the Super Mario series, for a time. The series started in 1991 with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Sonic the Hedgehog ( ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ, Sonikku za Hejjihoggu ?) is a Japanese video game franchise created and owned by Sega starring its mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog. The Sonic the Hedgehog series logo since 2008.
