RUMOR: Sonic Frontiers sequel game is reportedly in development

[SolidSurgeTT]

Sonic Frontiers was ambitious and actually seized upon its lofty goals but it was rough around the edges and had a long way to go in its design decisions.

If Sega is just like "let's just do that again" then that isn't going to go over well with me. Environmental design integration is probably the biggest one for me (melding the setting and the Sonic-style gameplay that all the floating platforms and trick objects were trying to convey would go a long way).

[Marcello]

Not to sound rude, but no shit? 

The nice thing, though, is that with the success of Frontiers this could be the first Sonic game in a long while with a decent budget. At the very least I remember them saying it'll be higher than before. 

[Sega DogTagz]

The real question is where will they decide to "cut corners". Even after the delay, Frontiers came out really rough around the edges with pop in that is really pushing what can be deemed acceptable these days and still broke the bank.  Do you spit in the face of that good will ala Pokemon and simply choose not to address that? I hope they've got more integrity behind them than that.

 

Frontiers also has an odd marketing campaign at times. Between in introduction that was alarmingly off base, to licensed music that was built for AMVs - it was a departure from their norm. It'll be interesting to see how the front end of this next one gets off the ground. If they are smart, they will focus on the music again.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

6 minutes ago, Sega DogTagz said:

The real question is where will they decide to "cut corners". Even after the delay, Frontiers came out really rough around the edges with pop in that is really pushing what can be deemed acceptable these days and still broke the bank.  Do you spit in the face of that good will ala Pokemon and simply choose not to address that? I hope they've got more integrity behind them than that.

 

Frontiers also has an odd marketing campaign at times. Between in introduction that was alarmingly off base, to licensed music that was built for AMVs - it was a departure from their norm. It'll be interesting to see how the front end of this next one gets off the ground. If they are smart, they will focus on the music again.

They're also going to want to showcase demos or introductory playthroughs that cater better to the game's strengths.

Frontiers turned out great, but the initial game footage shown did not lend itself to the highest of reception, for blatant reasons.

[Sega DogTagz]

12 minutes ago, Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon said:

 but the initial game footage shown did not lend itself to the highest of reception, for blatant reasons.

Then the doubled down and created even more drama when the first Cyberspace stages made their way online and ripped out level design from old games.

Thats was more drama then we needed back then.

 

Sometimes I can't tell if Sonic Team marketing is grossly incompetent or 4D chess maliciously calculating.  

[Lorekitten]

19 minutes ago, Sega DogTagz said:

Sometimes I can't tell if Sonic Team marketing is grossly incompetent or 4D chess maliciously calculating.  

For some reason I can't read this sentence without thinking of Dr. Starline...

5 hours ago, SolidSurgeTT said:

Sonic Frontiers was ambitious and actually seized upon its lofty goals but it was rough around the edges and had a long way to go in its design decisions.

If Sega is just like "let's just do that again" then that isn't going to go over well with me. Environmental design integration is probably the biggest one for me (melding the setting and the Sonic-style gameplay that all the floating platforms and trick objects were trying to convey would go a long way).

42 minutes ago, Sega DogTagz said:

The real question is where will they decide to "cut corners". Even after the delay, Frontiers came out really rough around the edges with pop in that is really pushing what can be deemed acceptable these days and still broke the bank.  Do you spit in the face of that good will ala Pokemon and simply choose not to address that? I hope they've got more integrity behind them than that.

The big question with Sonic Frontiers is whether Sega will actually give it the development time and attention it needs for a polished final product, or just rush it out warts and all because they hope to cash in on the fame of the branding.

No points for guessing what my prediction is.

[Wraith]

Kishimoto and Iizuka basically said that this was the plan, and nothing about the game's launch gave them reason to pivot. This ain't surprising, and it's too early for any leaks about what the actual direction for this game will be.

[Zadent]

Not surprised to hear it’s a gameplay sequel when they told us such, but neat to hear it’s actively in development. Now we just..continue to wait and see what’ll happen I’m excited though. The roaming and open zone platform stuff, the cyberspace tracks. I enjoyed them and I’m curious to see how they do them.

[KnotholeLemur]

New game means new characters and I'm REAAAALLY excited about that!

And please let there be another IDW namedrop.

[Sonic Human]

Yes Please!

 

[chassless]

22 hours ago, ShadowXeldron said:

I also commend them for NOT making the game fully open world as that makes the development.

That makes the development what?

[ShadowXeldron]

4 hours ago, chassless said:

That makes the development what?

Whoops I forgot to finish the sentence. I meant to say that it makes development go more smoothly.

[juanpablomorales]

I am really excited for the sequel to "Sonic Frontiers" though. I didn't have Sonic Frontiers but hopefully I will buy it soon for Nintendo Switch. However, since because the name for the sequel might change, it is possible that it will NOT be called, "Sonic Frontiers 2". It may be called like "Sonic Rangers" or whatever what SEGA calls it.

[Aroon]

Fricken can’ve wait for Frontiers 2 Sequel soon whatever it gets announce, I’d hope they keep character voices silently great from original Frontiers especially new characters around can’t not forget added remain the same feel personally I’ve love hearing them sounded get a say on across in each islands! Kinda hype see another Open World Sonic coming rather wonder if Kishimoto Moro going be producer or director behind it work making Sequel Frontiers happen to drop.

[Sonicka]

On 4/22/2024 at 6:05 PM, Sega DogTagz said:

Then the doubled down and created even more drama when the first Cyberspace stages made their way online and ripped out level design from old games.

Thats was more drama then we needed back then.

I'm still at a loss as to why this was such a big deal TBH. The throwback level designs were a positive in my experience and didn't even take up most of the Cyberspace levels included anyway. Mario platformers do this sort of spiel every so often to no/little drama. 

[Cosmos Rogue]

8 minutes ago, Sonicka said:

I'm still at a loss as to why this was such a big deal TBH. The throwback level designs were a positive in my experience and didn't even take up most of the Cyberspace levels included anyway. Mario platformers do this sort of spiel every so often to no/little drama. 

The Sonic franchise has offered little to nothing that could be described as both "good" and "new" in the past decade and a half. Frontiers was explicitly marketed as being the future, today! for the Sonic series, and then it turned out quite a bit of the game is reused content. Frontiers simply didn't deliver on its promises on this front.

[castell-neath]

I have high hopes for this seeing how the dlcs added so much to the base game.

My only "demands" would be open world areas with a more distinct character visually and greater variation (eg, snow, jungle, etc) and a few original cyber stage themes as well as  revisiting some "lost levels" like Hilltop, Aquatic Ruin, Spring Yard, and Mushroom Hill

[Sonicka]

1 hour ago, Cosmos Rogue said:

The Sonic franchise has offered little to nothing that could be described as both "good" and "new" in the past decade and a half. Frontiers was explicitly marketed as being the future, today! for the Sonic series, and then it turned out quite a bit of the game is reused content. Frontiers simply didn't deliver on its promises on this front.

Actually, I'll retract my earlier comment slightly, since the reality is that only 15 or the 39 cyberspace stages were completely new, with the rest borrowing elements or being almost 1:1 of older stages. 

In any case, I still don't really get it. The main bulk of the game was not arguably not in Cyberspace anyway (unlike how we'd present acts/stages as being the main element of a Sonic game previously), not to mention the themes / remixed levels being handled as "Sonic's memory constructing escape routes" just made sense.

I think the way Frontiers was marketed in the lead up was pretty poor overall - so that certainly didn't help. But it doesn't overly rely on re-used content to the extent that some make it out to be (eg: lazy retooling / asset & level reuse / etc...) 

For sure I'd love all original stuff next time though - where this game excelled for me was the original content and challenges. 

Edited April 24 by Sonicka

[Rabbitearsblog]

If this rumor turns out to be true, I am interested in seeing a sequel to Sonic Frontiers. I actually think that Sonic Frontiers had a lot of interesting ideas in regards to where they take the characters next.  I just hope that they improve upon the gameplay a bit because some of the gameplay was a bit buggy.