Sonic Frontiers, an ‘open-zone’ game, set to arrive holiday 2022

Sega announced Sonic Frontiers, a new 3D Sonic adventure, at the 2021 Game Awards.

“An experience like never before, accelerate to new heights and experience the thrill of high velocity, open-zone freedom,” the announcement trailer description states. “Battle powerful enemies as you speed through the Starfall Islands—landscapes brimming with dense forests, overflowing waterfalls, sizzling deserts and more!”

We’re not sure how “open-zone” differs from “open-world,” but the trailer definitely gives off Breath of the Wild vibes—in the sense that the game world looks huge and pretty. Sega’s Sonic Team Japan is developing the title, led by producer Sachiko Kawamura and director Morio Kishimoto, according to a follow-up press release.

“Sonic Frontiers is a huge leap forward for the franchise, delivering an evolved gameplay experience that can be enjoyed by longtime Sonic fans and action-adventure enthusiasts alike,” Sonic Team USA creative officer Takashi Iizuka stated. “With the effort of the talented developers at Sonic Team Japan, we’ve created an all-new style of gameplay experience for Sonic the Hedgehog, where players will be able to explore lush and expansive landscapes with Sonic’s signature speed and abilities. There’s sure to be lots of twists and turns around every corner in Sonic Frontiers, and we’re excited to unveil more information about the game over the coming months.”

We’ll most definitely find out more about the game as we get closer to its holiday 2022 launch. Sonic Frontiers is in development for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, and PC.