Sonic and Sonic 2 are free on mobile before they are delisted

Sega started removing some of its older games on various platforms at the end of 2024 and still hasn't explained why, or given us alternative places to buy them. On the bright side, in some cases these games have been given away for free right before they disappear, which is exactly what's happening with Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 right now.

Highlighted by Wario64, the mobile ports of the first two 2D Sonic games, originally released on the Sega Genesis, will be removed from the Android and iOS stores soon. As was the case with previous delistings of Sega's mobile ports, the only official indicator that these games will soon be gone seems to be in-game pop-ups warning of their impending delisting.

The original Sonic The Hedgehog and its sequel are free on mobile

Not only does this mean that we don't have an official date when these games will disappear, but it also means that the only people who will be told that the games won't be available for purchase anytime soon are those who already own them. That's what I'm here for. Telling you to go buy the mobile versions of these games before they're gone, because while Sega is obviously up to something, there's no telling what it is, and these games may never be available on mobile again.

pixel sonic in front of a wall with videos from various sega games.

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These games will still be playable after they have been removed from their respective mobile stores. You simply won't be able to buy them anymore, and they will no longer be supported. It just means they won't get updates, but at this stage they really shouldn't need any.

Final updates remove ads and in-game purchases

It also means they will no longer have ads or in-game purchases. Sonic and Sonic 2 have been free on phones for a while, as they, along with some of the other games removed from mobile last year, were part of the Sega Forever collection. Somewhat ironic that Forever branded games are about to be removed, but hey, they're free and won't pop up any annoying ads to ruin your time with two of the best games ever made, so swings and roundabouts, I guess.

Sonic 2 is one of the best games ever made. You can @ me about it if you want, I'm used to it.

Sonic walks through the Emerald Hill zone in Sonic 2 in Sonic Origins.

This all started with a mass listing of PCs and consoles over a year ago, where more than 60 classic Sega games were removed from various online stores. Now that the first two Sonic games are also disappearing from storefronts, it's quickly becoming almost impossible to play any Sega games made before a certain date unless you own physical copies.

This is all probably part of the plan for Sega's super game. Sega announced that it was working on a big-budget supergame in 2021, and noted in 2022 that it would be released in late March 2026. These latest listings suggest that those are the ones Sega could have been waiting for before it could move forward with whatever this supergame is, although after years of radio silence, I find it hard to believe that Sega will cost as much as $80 million as a game is ready to cost. will be released within the next six weeks.