The open-zone approach seen in Sonic Frontiers was just the beginning, and Sonic Team will build on that in the future.

Sonic Frontiers has been released, and its gameplay isn’t as simple as running through the maps. There are small puzzle elements, and the open terrain adds a slightly different flavor to the latest adventures of the blue hedgehog that has been uninterrupted for three decades. It’s safe to say that this is not a one-off, as Sonic Team’s head of development has confirmed that this is the direction they’ve set for future Sonic games.

In an interview with Sector, Sonic Team’s Takashi Iizuka confirmed the team’s vision for the IP: “Just like Sonic Adventure, our goal for Sonic Frontiers was to create a game that would be the cornerstone of future Sonic games. It is a brand-new approach for the franchise, but we have been conscious of honoring Sonic’s roots as well – the game still needs to feel like a Sonic game.

Our goal with Sonic Frontiers was to evolve the linear, stage-clearing 3D action that began with Sonic Adventure in 1998 into a new action-packed adventure game where players have the freedom to explore the environment around them. We know many players love exploring expansive worlds with no predetermined path, and that’s what we set out to achieve with our new open-zone platforming concept. I am very excited for Sonic to join this revolutionary step in immersive gaming worlds,” said Iizuka.

Sonic Adventure, also a SEGA Dreamcast flagship title, was a real change from the linear A to B run of the past, as the more traditional but more spacious maps are divided by large areas to roam freely. So the concept is not new to what Sonic Frontiers has presented, but it has done so in a much more complex way than two and a half decades ago.

It also confirmed that Sonic Team would be making a sequel because it’s one of SEGA’s most popular IPs…

Source: WCCFTech