New Sonic the Hedgehog Game Confirmed in Development: What Sonic Team Has Revealed

Sonic Team is already working on the next Sonic the Hedgehog game, according to series general producer Takashi Iizuka. The confirmation came in a new 35th-anniversary interview published by 4Gamer on September 21, 2026, immediately after Tokyo Game Show 2026.

The important part for fans is also the easiest to overstate: a new game is in development, but SEGA has not announced its title, platforms, release date, setting, or gameplay format. Iizuka said he could not yet discuss specifics.

What he did discuss gives us a useful look at Sonic Team's design priorities for whatever comes next.

Sonic Team confirms a new game is in development

Asked about the future of the series, Iizuka told 4Gamer that he could not share concrete details about the new title currently in development. He nevertheless said he believes the series still has substantial room to evolve.

Iizuka pointed to two previous turning points: the Color Powers introduced in Sonic Colors and the systems developed for Sonic Frontiers. He said Sonic Team believes there is still further evolution beyond what Frontiers established.

Modern Sonic as shown in Sonic Frontiers
Modern Sonic as depicted in Sonic Frontiers. Image: SEGA, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.

What could carry forward from Sonic Frontiers?

Iizuka described Sonic Frontiers as a major test case that helped determine the series' future. He explained that an open-world-style Sonic game had been an ambition for roughly a decade, but that Sonic's traditional course-based speed made the concept difficult to solve.

Director Morio Kishimoto's answer was the “open-zone” structure used in Frontiers. Iizuka characterized that design as a significant step forward rather than an endpoint.

That does not confirm that the next Sonic game will be another open-zone title. It does, however, establish that Sonic Team sees the systems developed for Frontiers as part of an ongoing design evolution.

Sonic as shown in the Sonic Frontiers announcement trailer
Sonic in the original Sonic Frontiers announcement trailer. Image: SEGA, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.

Characters, story and gameplay are all on the table

Iizuka said the team intends to create forms of play the series has not offered before through multiple approaches, specifically mentioning characters, story and game systems.

That wording matters. Rather than tying the next step solely to larger environments or newer technology, Iizuka also emphasized that Sonic Team wants to continue developing both sides of the franchise: the 2D classic style and the 3D modern style.

He cited Sonic Superstars alongside Sonic Frontiers as examples of those different directions. So, for now, it would be premature to label the unannounced project a direct Sonic Frontiers 2 or assume it belongs to either branch.

Sonic Team logo from the Sonic Frontiers announcement trailer
Sonic Team's logo as shown in the Sonic Frontiers reveal. Image: SEGA, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.

What has actually been confirmed?

  • A new Sonic game is currently in development.
  • SEGA and Sonic Team have not revealed its title.
  • No release date or release window has been announced.
  • No platforms have been announced.
  • The team sees room to evolve beyond systems introduced in Sonic Frontiers.
  • Iizuka says future evolution can involve characters, story and gameplay systems—not technology alone.
  • Sonic Team intends to keep developing both classic 2D and modern 3D Sonic experiences.

Why the timing is notable

2026 marks Sonic's 35th anniversary. Tokyo Game Show featured Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and SONIC PICO PARK, but 4Gamer specifically noted that the event did not include an announcement or playable showing of the new main Sonic project.

SEGA's official TGS materials instead focused on those currently announced Sonic titles, stage programs and anniversary activities. That makes Iizuka's interview confirmation useful, but it should not be mistaken for a formal game reveal.

Tropical Resort stage in Sonic Colors Ultimate
Sonic Colors is another game Iizuka cited when discussing major changes to Sonic's gameplay. Image: SEGA, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.

When could SEGA reveal the next Sonic game?

There is currently no confirmed reveal date. Any specific event or release window would be speculation.

For now, the clearest takeaway is simply that Sonic Team's next project is active and that its leadership is publicly framing it around continued evolution rather than merely repeating an existing formula. Until SEGA releases a trailer, title or platform list, fans should treat anything more specific as unconfirmed.

Sources and image credits

Reporting: 4Gamer's September 21, 2026 interview with Takashi Iizuka; SEGA/ATLUS Tokyo Game Show 2026.

Images: SEGA imagery sourced through Wikimedia Commons from SEGA material released under Creative Commons licensing. CC BY 3.0 license. Images are used editorially to illustrate prior Sonic games and are not presented as screenshots from the unannounced new project.

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