Draft:Sonic fandom

The video game franchise Sonic The Hedgehog is known for its eccentric and passionate fandom which many reviewers were engaged with the fandom, despite of the overwhelmingly negative reception of the some of the games in the series. The fanbase is known for creating original characters and fangames while also being subject to controversies and involved with the furry fandom.

Fan base
Sonic the Hedgehog is known for being built around the idea that Sonic isn't the player, but rather someone who directed the player and his personality has made him feel relatable toward children. Eventually the franchise would grow a community of dedicated fans creating their own fan fiction and fan art. The franchise has created plot holes which inspired fans to create their own original characters, also known as Sonic OC. Due of the comunnity's tendency of original characters influenced the character customization system in Sonic Forces as Takashi Iizuka said. Notable Sonic fangames include Sonic After the Sequel (2013), set between the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and 3, Sonic Dreams Collection (2015), which satirizes the fandom, and Sonic P-06, a remake of the 2006 video game Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic Mania development team included individuals who had worked on Sonic ROM hacks and fangames. Summer of Sonic, an annual fan convention dedicated to the Sonic series and hosted in the United Kingdom, was founded by Svend Joscelyne and Adam Tuff and first held in 2008.

Sonic 's fandom has also been subject to controversy, leading to it gaining a negative reputation. Part of it due of the overwhelmingly negative reviews of the series which led fans to coin the term "The Sonic Cycle" in 2008 to describe the cycle of hope and eventual disappointment they feel with each passing Sonic games. After when early design of Sonic for the 2020 film Sonic the Hedgehog were leaked, it was received heavily fan criticism for being "horrific". Sonic the Hedgehog has also become a popular subject for artists and writers involved in the furry fandom, known for it's sexual themes which artists would draw Sonic being pregnant for titillation and his appeal to fetish enthusiasts, similarity in the 2006 video game Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic's relationship with Princess Elise has caused heavily fan criticism. PC Gamer writer Rich Stanton wrote that searching Sonic on Google can led displeasure images and details. Stanton also wrote that he read captions of Sonic images.

Analysis and reception
Sonic the Hedgehog fandom has expressed itself to be resilient against all odds and negative comments. The fanbase has splintering into many subcommunities and each diversifying immensely among itself which the community can made any type of fan thrive, and feel accepted.

The series' former writer Ken Pontac appreciated the fans, except for the ones who just hate the series for stupidity reasons. Author Karis Jones & Scott Storm wrote that the student Clark described the Sonic fandom as "the most toxic gaming fandom of all time". He discussed how annoying fans are and always demanding something from Sega which he ended his presentation by discussing that fans could shift their discourse practices to save the fandom however, each passing entry of the series causes more negative effects as it became darker and grittier, with “unnecessary amounts of weapons in it, and violence.” Clark saw Sonic as embroiled in a societal obsession with violence however, he saw a glimmer of hope in the company’s interaction with the fans.