From the moment that Sonic Frontiers was announced, many gamers wondered where the title would fall in the spectrum of past games featuring the blue blur. Many were hoping that the game would save the franchise and ensure that things kept moving. Others feared, especially as time passed, that the game would be another “swing and a miss” from Sonic Team and that the franchise would be set further than before. Upon its release, it was praised for some things and criticized for others. We still don’t know the sales numbers of the title, but early outlooks seem promising.
At the Game Awards, the game was nominated for “Players Voice,” where the fans would get to choose the winner. While the title didn’t win, it did come very close, and as a result of that, the director of Sonic Frontiers, Morio Kishimoto, had something to say about the game and what might come next:
“We made it into the top 5 of TGA Players’ Voice! This is all thanks to your support! The third generation is off to a good start. I’m happy! I am sure that this result will be a big driving force for the next work. We promise you an experience of greater excitement and surprise. Finally, I would like to thank all the staff involved in this project.”
It’s curious that they’re already talking about the next game so soon after the release of the last one, but that is the game development cycle in a nutshell. Then again, we know that the current game is getting DLC throughout 2023, including new story content and being able to play as Tails, Knuckles, and Amy. Fans are already excited about that and the other quality-of-life improvements that are on the way.
But given the statement about “greater excitement and surprise,” what can fans expect from Sonic Team? If they continue the Sonic Frontiers path, you can expect another open-world title. The twist might be that the next “version” of it will be a more refined experience. One of the biggest complaints of the game was the lack of refinement in some areas and how some gimmicks felt that they were thrown into the game to give it more content without asking if it would fit. The pinball game is an excellent example of that.
If nothing else, they will learn from the experiences of making the title and funnel that into making an even better sequel.
Source: Twitter
