![\"Yuji](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/body_default\/public\/2022\/06\/23\/0d2371ff\/sonic_3_art_crop.jpg?resize=800%2C450&ssl=1\")
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<strong>Update:<\/strong> Yuji Naka has, kind of, walked back his original, unintentional confirmation that Michael Jackson worked on Sonic 3 after years of vaguely proven speculation. \n<\/code><\/pre>\nIn the original story, posted below, he seemingly expressed disappointment that some of Sonic 3\u2019s music has been swapped out in Sonic Origins due to Jackson\u2019s connection to it.\u00a0In a follow-up tweet, he posted: \u201cI feel like I\u2019m being misunderstood a lot, probably because I don\u2019t speak English and I\u2019m using a translation tool. Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nI feel like I\u2019m being misunderstood a lot, probably because I don\u2019t speak English and I\u2019m using a translation tool. Sorry.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Yuji Naka \/ \u4e2d\u3000\u88d5\u53f8 (@nakayuji) June 23, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nHe then clarified that he was wishing Sonic a happy 31st birthday and\u00a0referred to a Tiktok video posted by Sega that featured a Sonic mascot doing a Michael Jackson-inspired skit, complete with \u201cBillie Jean\u201d playing in the background.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nHappy 31st Birthday Sonic!
SEGA Official is playing Michael Jackson\u2019s song on Sonic. I\u2019m surprised. Is it a sign? https:\/\/t.co\/sQsAIWvBkI<\/p>\n
\u2014 Yuji Naka \/ \u4e2d\u3000\u88d5\u53f8 (@nakayuji) June 23, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nFunny enough, Sega referencing Michael itself is even more surprising than Naka\u2019s perceived confirmation and only further hammers home that, yes, Jackson lent a hand in Sonic 3\u2019s music.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Original Story: <\/strong>Sonic Origins releases today, and those jumping into Sonic 3 will notice that several of its songs have changed. Namely, Launch Base, Ice Cap, and Carnival Night Zones sport new tracks, presumably because of Michael Jackson\u2019s famously speculated contributions to developing the\u00a0original score. Discussing the late King of Pop\u2019s involvement with Sonic 3 has always been taboo at Sega, but one of Sonic\u2019s principal creators has seemingly broken that golden rule.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\nThe legend goes that Sega hired Michael Jackson, a Sonic fan who previously worked with Sega on Moonwalker, to compose music for Sonic 3. The level of Jackson\u2019s involvement varies depending on the source, but after completing a few tracks, Sega either scrapped or revised\u00a0his work in the wake of Jackson\u2019s 1993 child molestation allegations and disassociated itself from the artist. Jackson has never been officially credited for his work and Sega has been sensitive about confirming his involvement with Sonic 3 ever since, despite it being something of an open secret. Michael\u2019s involvement has also been assumed as\u00a0the primary reason\u00a0Sonic 3 hasn\u2019t been re-released nearly as often as the other Genesis-era Sonic titles due to licensing issues with Jackson\u2019s estate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Composer and Crush 40 founder Jun Senoue worked on some of Sonic 3\u2019s other songs, and Sonic Origins replaces the Jackson-credited music with songs remade by Senoue that appeared in the prototype\/PC versions of the game. Today, Yuji Naka, one of the chief creators behind the franchise, took to Twitter<\/a> to express his surprise and displeasure that Sega replaced Sonic 3\u2019s music in the Origins collection and confirmed years of speculation by referencing\u00a0Michael Jackson directly writing:\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cOh my god, the music for Sonic 3 has changed, even though SEGA Official uses Michael Jackson\u2019s music.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nOh my god, the music for Sonic 3 has changed, even though SEGA Official uses Michael Jackson\u2019s music.<\/p>\n