Sega has revealed that the Sonic Frontiers release date was originally supposed to land in 2021. The company intended the game to launch during the franchise's 30th anniversary, but delayed it in order to ensure higher quality on release.
Why was the Sonic Frontiers release date moved?
Sonic Frontiers was originally announced in 2021 (although it was nameless at the time), and now, Sega has revealed that it was supposed to launch last year as well. In an investment call, an investor asks about Sonic Frontiers. Sega replies by saying that the game was targeting a 2021 release to coincide with Sonic's 30th anniversary, but that it was delayed "in order to further brush up the quality". Sega has also been using the extra time to introduce game testing "based on external evaluations".
In the investment call, Sega also discusses other things related to the Sonic franchise. The company says it believes that "high-quality games" are still the driving force behind Sonic monetization, and that it's considering IP rollouts similar to Sonic for Sega IPs like Persona and Project Sekai. Sega also says it's considering "revitalizing the revival of dormant IPs" in the future; after the success of the Sonic movie (which has a sequel due out this year), the studio says it's seen offers to remake and revive its properties increase, so this is something it's considering stepping up. Could this finally be the time for that Panzer Dragoon Saga remake? Probably not, but I can dream. You can read the full investment call, which also contains discussions about "the metaverse" and Sega project management, here.
What is Sonic Frontiers?
Revealed early last year, Sonic Frontiers is the next flagship 3D game in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. It'll be an open-world game in which you'll explore the Starfall Islands, lands containing diverse biomes like forests, deserts, and more. Originally unveiled as a nameless project, the Sonic Frontiers name was uncovered late last year when Sega registered the name as a domain, thus disproving speculation that the game's name would be Sonic Rangers.
We still don't know much about Sonic Frontiers gameplay just yet. It's likely Sega will reveal more about the Blue Blur's upcoming adventure in the coming months. In the meantime, if you're still worried about the mainline 3D Sonic franchise (and you'd have every right to be, given past form), rest assured that the Sonic Mania folks aren't resting on their laurels. They're making a 3D platformer too, although it's not a Sonic game. We'll bring you more info about that project, and about Sonic Frontiers, as soon as we get it.
Are you looking forward to trying out Sonic Frontiers? Let us know in the comments below!
