Sega has been releasing numerous gameplay videos of Sonic Frontiers with IGN recently. However, fans of the blue blur were concerned by what they saw and stressed the opinion that developer Sonic Team needs more time to develop the game. The studio has confirmed that the game will not be delayed despite the fan response, which even included #DelaySonicFrontiers trending on Twitter for a brief while.
In an interview with VGC, studio head of Sonic Team Takashi Iizuka said that he was not surprised by the mixed fan responses to the gameplay that was presented. “We do realize everyone is just kind of reacting to the videos that they saw and because they don’t understand what this new gameplay is, they’re kind of comparing it to other games that they already know,” he said.
Iizuka goes on to talk about how fans are comparing Sonic Frontiers to other titles, and that the new game is using a new format for the series. The team calls it an ‘open zone’ format. “This new game system itself is something that doesn’t really exist in any other comparable titles, so we really hope that from here until launch we can really explain what open zone gameplay is,” he explained.
This may or may not be enough to ease the minds of eager Sonic fans. However, the studio head also mentioned that players will be able to get hands-on time with Sonic Frontiers at Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show later this year.
In response to fans asking for the game to be delayed, Iizuka mentioned that players have been thoroughly enjoying the game during playtests. He explained that his team is “working really hard to make sure this holiday season, people can buy the game, pick it up, take it home, and have a fun experience with it.”
Sonic Team clearly believes in its vision for this new type of Sonic game, and we hope that pays off.