Many fans had tuned into the panel expecting to see footage of the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog movie, though no sneak peaks of the film were provided. A few pre-weekend leaks seemed to indicate that there would be a focus on the film, which includes Jim Carrey as The Eggman himself. Instead of a focus on the silver-screen, the SXSW panel opted to show new footage for Team Sonic Racing, a multi-platform title slated to release this May.
Sega didn’t offer a timeline for when gamers can expect the new Sonic The Hedgehog game, but fans should likely expect to hear more at gaming-focused events later on this year, like E3 2019 or The Game Awards. Fan speculation quickly hit critical levels after the announcement, with Sonic fans postulating everything from an Amy Rose-focused game to a title that brings together all of the Sonic cast. For now, though, everything outside of the game’s confirmed development is all speculation.
It was back in 2017 that Sonic Mania set the record as the highest-rated Sonic title in 15 years, doing the series some serious justice on its 25th anniversary. Fans and critics praised the series’ return of focus to 2D platforming, which presents an interest conundrum for Sega: does it follow up with a 2D title that proves the hedgehog can hold his own as a timeless 2D platformer, or does Sega attempt to break into the 3D marketplace and push its boundaries once more? It’s an interesting predicament, and for now fans will be left speculating on which route the developers opt to take.
The untitled Sonic The Hedgehog video game currently has no release date or announced console.
