Sonic Team USA, later known as Sega Studios USA, started as a division of Sega and Sonic Team, which was itself a subsidiary company. It was established in 1999 when twelve members of Sonic Team, including Takashi Iizuka, moved to San Francisco, California.[6] By 2000, it had become a subsidiary of SONICTEAM, Ltd.[2] The team's primary responsibilities included game development, localization,[45] and market research in the United States,[46] until they returned to Japan and merged back into Sonic Team in 2008.[47] Sonic Team USA played a pivotal role in translating Sonic Adventure and conducting ChuChu Rocket! testing in America[45][46]. Their unique location in San Francisco, as well as visits to places like Yosemite National Park, influenced their game development process[45]. One of their significant projects was Sonic Adventure 2, released on June 23, 2001[48], and later ported to the GameCube[49]. Following this, Sonic Team USA worked on Sonic Heroes (2003), which marked the first Sonic game designed for multiple platforms[50]. For Sonic Heroes, the team decided to shift their approach away from the Sonic Adventure games and focus on gameplay reminiscent of the original Genesis titles, making it accessible even to casual gamers[51]. In 2004, after SONICTEAM, Ltd. was reintegrated into Sega, Sonic Team USA underwent a name change to Sega Studios USA[6]. Their next major project was Shadow the Hedgehog, released in 2005[52], a spin-off game centered around the character Shadow[53]. Unlike its predecessors, Shadow the Hedgehog was aimed at an older audience and introduced distinct gameplay styles, including gun-based mechanics and multiple story endings[54]. While the game faced criticism for its mature themes and level design[55][56], it performed well commercially, selling over 1.59 million units[57][58]. Sega Studios USA's final project was Nights: Journey of Dreams, a sequel to Nights into Dreams and the first Nights game since the cancellation of Air Nights in 2000[59][60]. The development team aimed to retain the core concepts of the original game while introducing new gameplay mechanics. The game was released on the family-oriented Wii console in 2007[61][62] and was designed to have a more European influence compared to the Sonic games, which had a more American style. Sonic Team in Japan handled the sound and CGI aspects, while Sega Studios USA managed the rest of the development process[63][64]. During its existence, Sega Studios USA also oversaw the development of Sonic Rivals (2006) and Sonic Rivals 2 (2007) by Backbone Entertainment[65]. In 2008, Sega Studios USA merged back with Sonic Team[47], with Takashi Iizuka becoming the head of Sonic Team and a vice president of product development at Sega[33][34]. In 2016, Iizuka relocated to Los Angeles to oversee development with the aim of making Sega's Los Angeles studios a central hub for the global brand[47]. Sega Studios USA Formely Sonic Team USA Type Division Industry Video games Founded 1999 Defunct 2008 Fate Merged with Sonic Team Headquarters San Francisco, California, United States Key People Takashi Iizuka Parent Sonic Team