The Sonic Frontiers release date is set for November 2022 and we still aren't sure what to make of Sega's new action-adventure game. Set across the gorgeous Starfall Islands, Sonic finds himself enjoying the luxuries of "open-zone freedom" as he battles Dr. Eggman and a whole crew of robotic baddies.
Following its reveal in 2021, we've seen plenty of Sonic Frontiers gameplay and had the chance to play it ourselves, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions. So what we're going to do here is focus on what we do know, Focusing on the latest Sonic Frontiers news, gameplay, and details that we think you should know ahead of release.
Sonic Frontiers release date
The Sonic Frontiers release date is now set for November 8, 2022.
Sonic Frontiers was first teased in early 2021 before being officially unveiled at The Game Awards with a loose '2022' release window. Sega officially dated dated Sonic Frontiers at Gamescom Opening Night Live in 2022.
Sonic Frontiers platforms
Sega has confirmed that Sonic Frontiers will launch on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and Nintendo Switch on November 8, 2022.
Players across all platforms can get their hands on the Sonic Frontier Soap Shoes – the kicks that made grinding on rails possible back in 2001's Sonic Adventure 2 – by signing up to the Sonic Frontiers newsletter before January 31, 2023.
Sonic Frontiers trailer
The Sonic Frontiers trailer is a tease of what to expect from the blue hedgehog’s next adventure. Things kick off with Sonic belting it through a forest and being pursued by three robotic aircraft that appear to explode just as they catch up with him. The hedgehog is then thrust forward before slowing up as he approaches a knife-edge cliff face. As he turns around, he looks visibly shocked, gaping at the landscape before him. It’s then the camera goes free-form as it snakes around the sprawling “open-zone” world, filled with rolling hills, lush vistas, and towering waterfalls. Before the title screen reappears, we hear a machine of sorts re-calibrating, and again see the pink robotic glow of the aircraft featured earlier.
Sonic Frontiers gameplay
With the Sonic Frontiers gameplay, Sega says "we are challenging ourselves to deliver an all-new style of Sonic action adventure. We're once again expanding the Sonic Universe, bringing in new environments and additional features, to create a totally new type of open-zone experience." At least, that's what creative officer Takashi Iizuka told 12DOVE in an exclusive interview earlier in 2022.
Sonic has found himself in open zone areas for the very first time, after falling through a wormhole and losing contact with his friends. What we've seen so far showcases lush-looking landscapes, the sort of velocity we've long hoped to see from the series in the 3D-era, and combat that looks like it's struggling to settle into the new format.
We went hands-on with Sonic Frontiers at E3 2022, and found that it made a bad first impression. We played a new build later in the year, covering a different area of the game, and were surprised by just how much Sonic Frontiers feels so much like Breath of the Wild. Basically, there's a lot more for us to learn about the game ahead of its release in November, so watch this space!
Sonic Frontiers story
In Sonic Frontiers, we'll be guiding Sonic around the open-zone areas of the Starfall Islands. After falling through a wormhole, Sonic and friends – like Tails and Amy – become separated, and the super-fast hero can do is work to collect Chaos Emeralds to get the group home safely.
Sonic Team creative officer Takashi Iizuka told 12DOVE that "the team set out to create a compilation of high-speed Sonic action games that flipped the usual Sonic storyline on its head," in Sonic Frontiers, with the game "taking place in a world where the evil Dr. Eggman had prevailed." So expect to see new environments, characters, and bosses throughout!
Sonic Frontiers development
As we reported back in May, a new Sonic game has been planned for release in 2022 for some time – and it would appear that this is the game first teased in that Sonic Central Stream. Sonic Frontiers is being developed by Sonic Team, with development led by director Morio Kishimoto – who also directed Sonic Forces and Sonic Colors – and producer Sachiko Kawamura – who served as art director of Sonic Forces and Sonic Generations. Ian Flynn, who wrote Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog series for over a decade, is set to pen an original storyline for the upcoming game.
Excited for all the new games coming in the next couple of years? Check out our list of new games for 2022 and beyond.
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