Up, Over & Gone – AAUK Leaves SEGA
As posted on the SEGA Europe Blog and SEGA Blognik – 10/03/11.
We’ve had some way past cool adventures you and I over these years, I’ve kept the Blognik and SOE blogs going and kept you, I hope, entertained with all the latest news and even the things not relating to SEGA on there and the social media accounts etc. It’s been a crazy ride for a guy from the fanbase who got to represent you at the highest level. However all good things must come to an end and I’m sad to announce that this is true of me being here at SEGA as well. Yup, I’m packing up my frankly embarrassing amount of merch and personal effects hitting the road for pastures new.
It’s pretty much four years to the day since I first set foot in SEGA to help out on the old Sonic City and since then I’ve seen a lot of games come and a lot of games go, seriously I think the number I’ve worked on is fifty plus during this time which is a phenomenal number. I’ve also done a lot of surprisingly cool things over the years. I’ve been to visit Ferrari in Maranello and seen things you’d never believe, got to go to Japan last year and visit the Sonic Team offices, hung out with Crush 40, Sumo Digital, Bentley Jones, TJ Davis, the boys from Fleetway, Richard Jacques and I’ve also met a lot of incredibly fantastic community members.
Not to mention the fact I found the computer room, fourth Chaos Emerald and, get a load of this, in a surreal moment even got to have a drink and intense discussion with Yuji Naka. Strange isn’t it?
My initial goals of being here have been realised; SEGA is now very much aware of the Community and has a great deal of respect for it, other matters I’ve been fighting for over the years have been realised too and I think it would be fair to say the direction Sonic is going is most assuredly upwards. I’m stopping as I’d like to try my hand at some other things, so it’s hardly that I hate that hedgehog, what exactly I’ve yet to really decide on but things that don’t involve hedgehogs 24/7 would probably be nice(!) You’ll not be completely rid of me within the community, I’m still the main organiser behind Summer Of Sonic for this year anyway and I’ll probably still be active on Sonic Wrecks and other places. This, is who I Am.
But yes, it’s the end of an era.
I’d like to thank SEGA for the fantastic ride and letting me say goodbye to all of you properly, you may not believe it sometimes but certainly the people at SOE are very passionate about delivering on Sonic. Special thanks to Svend and the TSS mob, Emerald Coast, Retro, G at SEGA Nerds, SEGA Media, Lewis over at SEGA Driven, the irrepressible DiGi and TRiPPY from NiD.com, the guys from Overclocked Remix, the Sonic Wrecks crew who’ve all helped via the super power of teamwork. The contacts I’ve interacted with down the years like Matthew, Alex, Sammy, Yousif, Ant, Damo, Helene, Stefan, Philip, Kev to name but a few and so many more who’ve made it certainly an interesting time.
So yeah, gotta juice guys as I’ve been yakking for far too long. Don’t let any giant talking eggs trick you, try to avoid fakers, leery ghosts, getting sucked into storybooks and having your hat set on fire. Always have an immortal fox handy to use as a shield and if a flying imp offers you chocolate turn it down. As where it may come from, well… that’s no good.
Stay speedy!
Kevin “ArchangelUK/AAUK” Eva
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Truly the end of an era (eva?). You’ve done so much for this community Kev. Stay safe and don’t be a stran
ger. I am very privileged to have you as a friend and you’ve been incredible to myself and SEGADriven as a whole.
It really is the end of an era. Thanks for all you’ve done for the community, Kevin. Good luck with your future endeavours 🙂
Hi Kevin stay safe and good luck in the future. It has been great getting to know you and see all the great stuff you have done for the SEGA community over the years. I’m sure we will all miss you and thanks for everything you done for myself and StickTwiddlers 😀
It’s a shame that you quit AAUK =(
But I understand, hope you find what you’re looking for =D
Also very nice game references in there XD
Fourth Chaos Emerald = Shadow the Hedgehog
Get a Load of This = Sonic Adventure (I’ll tell you that phrase was kind of annoying after a while xD)
I Am = Shadow the Hedgehog & Crush 40 (very well played)
Leery Ghosts = Sonic 3/& knuckles or Sonic Adventure 2
Story books = Sonic and TBK, & Sonic and the SS
Immortal fox = Sonic 3/& knuckles (this made me lawl everytime XD Best one I can think for this)
Chocolate from an Imp = Sonic Unleashed (couldn’t agree with you more, but then again most items look as if they are from there, uh, *cough* anus *cough* So yea that’s not sanitary chocolate, heck it may not be it at all xD)
As for everything else Idk XD
But keep it real Kev, you’ve been great to make post and always make me come back to read them. This is beyond a shadow of a doubt (wanted to put hedgehog but that wouldn’t fit properly lawl) the best Sonic website I’ve been to. No offense to the others, being they have done really well, but with all your hard work I’m a constant here and still will be, thanks for everything you’ve done on here AAUK. Sonic wrecks may be at a slight loss without you here always, but You have matters to sort out first and that’s more important, so as before good luck and I and all the other people here will be cheering you on =)
So you’re off then? Off from SEGA? I don’t think I’d have ever expected this.
You’ve been working at it for four years now, the SEGA thing, as you’ve pointed out above. You are going to begin your sixth season of the best Sonic Podcast on the web, not to mention the first podcast series I ever got interested in. You have hosted Summer of Sonic, in all of its painful glory, worked on numerous games. You have mentioned most all of this above.
I cannot think of any words to express the mixture of happiness and despair at this very moment. I am well aware that you are not forever gone, but without Kevin Eva at the helm of the Sonic Community Management, all things from this point out will take on a new light. A new meaning, possessing a different feel than that of what you brought to us. This may be good, or… it might not be as good, but it will be different, a blessing of variety and a dangerous step into the unknown mashed into one bottle.
I know not your plans, and I know not the future, so all I feel I can do at this time is wish you the best. Good luck to you in the future, and we’ll see you around Entherial Online. Have fun, friend.
Very sad to see you go, although understandable, from the sounds of things you’ve been the hardest working Sonic fan on the planet – something for which we’re all extremely grateful I’m sure! Your goals of making SEGA more aware of the community and responsive to it have succeeded massively, and clearly some major changes have been going on in their approach to Sonic as a result, and definitely for the better. I’m sure that this crucial bridge will continue to exist and grow stronger still even in your absence.
Best of luck with everything you choose to do, and thanks for everything you’ve given back to the sometimes-tiresome but nevertheless forever-loyal and passionate Sonic fans of the world!
Wow…. just wow. I hope you do well in whatever venture you try next, but thank you. It probably doesn’t matter much, but if it wasn’t for you, your podcast and Sonic Wrecks itself, I wouldn’t have rekindled my fandom for Sonic, nor SEGA games. Shame to see you leave, but take care of yourself.
Wow, first Demx and now AAUK. It’s very upsetting to hear that you’ve quit my friend but I’m glad to hear that you’re pleased of what you have accomplished.
Not only have you been a major part of the community since 2004, constantly there for a laugh and always there to inform us on the best and the worst of the Sonic franchise. You’ve made the first podcast that I actually enjoyed listening to from start to finish, you’ve made some of the best webcomics I have ever read and you were there at the very heart of SoS and the community.
I’m glad you enjoyed yourself as we all have watching you. I take my hat off to you my boy and I wish you and Echo Hawk the very best in life. Stay safe, and have fun! 🙂
I sat all the way through the credits of Sonic and SEGA All Stars Racing to look for your name. Am I crazy?
Yes?
I also sit through film credits. i am told I’m insane but I don’t know whether I should believe them.
You’re leaving SEGA!? o.O Nooooeeees!
But if that is what you truly want I guess I can’t stop you. So thanks for all hard work and best of luck in the future.