Google Play’s Sonic Homage Hits a Snag, Prompts Questions and a Wave of Memes
Google Play’s recent attempt to celebrate Sonic the Hedgehog on social media took a bizarre turn, resulting in a series of inaccurate posts that left even Sega perplexed.
A Misguided Tribute Thread
Google Play’s Twitter account embarked on an impromptu Sonic appreciation thread, showcasing the iconic character’s evolution over the years. However, the effort was marred by a litany of factual errors that sparked a wave of corrections from the Sonic community.
Factual Blunders Galore
- The thread inaccurately depicted Sonic and Tails in 1991, using an image from Sonic’s 2013 mobile game.
- The original Sonic the Hedgehog, released on the 16-bit Sega Genesis, was described as “8-bit glory.”
- A screenshot of Sonic Boom from 2014 was erroneously labeled as the “short king” from 1993.
- A 2020 screenshot of the Paramount Picture’s live-action Sonic was mistaken for the 2022 film.
- A Sonic image from Sonic Forces Mobile, released in 2017, was wrongly attributed to 2006.
Sega’s Puzzled Response
Sega’s official Twitter account couldn’t resist weighing in on the peculiar thread, asking “What are you doing?” in response to Google Play’s historical revisionism.
Community Outcry and Memes
Sonic fans took to social media to express their amusement and bewilderment at the thread’s inaccuracies. A flood of memes quickly emerged, mocking Google Play for its missteps.
Speculation and Theories
Speculation arose that AI might have been involved in creating the erroneous thread, given the poorly altered background characters in one of the images. The motive behind Google Play’s strange tribute remains a mystery.
Sonic’s Ongoing Celebration
Despite the misadventures of Google Play’s tribute, Sonic’s popularity continues to soar. The recent Knuckles TV series on Paramount+ has been met with critical acclaim, and the third installment of the live-action Sonic film, featuring Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog, is set to hit theaters in December 2024.