Sonic Team head says Sonic Frontiers will determine series' future

Takashi Iizuka, head of Sonic Team, has described Sonic Frontiers as a pivotal title that will determine the future direction of the Sonic series. In a recent interview with the Japanese publication 4Gamer, Iizuka reflected on the challenges of integrating open-world elements into a franchise defined by high-speed course running.

Iizuka noted that he had desired to create an open-world Sonic game for approximately ten years but hesitated due to concerns that a vast, empty space might not suit the character's core appeal. He cited difficulties faced during the early development of Sonic Adventure as a reason for his caution. However, director Morio Kishimoto developed the ‘open zone’ concept, which Iizuka believes served as a successful test for the franchise's evolution.