Sega says they are delisting the individual versions of Sonic titles from digital storefronts in anticipation of the release of Sonic Origins. This includes Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic CD.
There are a few exceptions to this. The first two Sonic titles will remain available via Sega Ages on the Nintendo Switch. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will also still be available through the Sega Genesis on Nintendo Switch Online +.
Sonic Origins will be released on May 20, 2022. This gives potential buyers a bit under a month now to pick up these individual titles. The current versions of the game are going for about $4.99 (USD), at least if purchased through Steam.
If you buy each of these games, that comes out to about $20, which is quite a bit less than the $39.99 starting price for Sonic Origins. However, Sonic Origins does feature some "remastered" content.
This announcement comes after fans were already getting upset over the content that is being locked behind Sonic Origin's more expensive $44.99 version.
Remember the C&C Remastered Collection? Where they threw literally as much bonus content from the archives in there as possible to make it the most comprehensive package they could? And got the original composer of the music to remaster the tracks, while including the originals, AND put in re-recordings from their band the Tiberian Sons? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w-FQoNrwHM
Where do they get off disrespecting their most important franchise AND their fans like this, what a waste of a good thing.