The game was the first multi-platform "Sonic" game, produced for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows platforms. Sonic Team USA's Yuji Naka and Takashi Iizuka led the game's 20-month development. The team wanted "Sonic Heroes" to appeal beyond "Sonic" series fans and so designed a game that did not depend on the continuation of its predecessors. The team revived elements not seen since the Genesis "Sonic" games, such as special stages and the Chaotix characters. Sega released "Sonic Heroes" in Japan in December 2003 and worldwide in early 2004.