It's most likely it, although deep down, this kind of attitude is why the Sonic games hasn't been the best they use to be, because these companies desire to abandon the core fanbase, the ones that grew up with the series, and catter to the new generation, kids, and makes the games more silly and childish instead of more devoted and how it use to be like in the past...
I don't hate entirely the new way Rayman is, but I fell if that's the reason for this direction, it just alienates the fanbase more than helps it...