Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka has discussed SEGA’s wider plans for the future of Sonic the Hedgehog, reaffirming that the company intends to continue developing the franchise across several different formats.
Speaking with 80 Level, Iizuka described Sonic’s different “pillars” as complementary parts of the franchise rather than competing directions.
“Each of the different pillars contributes in meaningful ways to the Sonic franchise,” Iizuka said.
Although he did not announce another mainline Sonic game, the comments suggest that SEGA does not intend to narrow the series around a single type of experience.
Traditional platformers, larger modern adventures, racing games, and collaborations can instead continue alongside one another, allowing different projects to serve different audiences while remaining part of the same wider Sonic ecosystem.
Iizuka also addressed SEGA’s plans for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, which continues to receive new racers, events, and downloadable content.
The game’s second season of content was announced during Summer Game Fest 2026, with six additional DLC packs planned. Godzilla and Evangelion were among the first collaborations confirmed for the new season.
According to Iizuka, the decision to move forward with another season reflects more than a temporary expansion of the game’s roadmap.
“The introduction of a second season signals our long-term investment in the game,” Iizuka said.
He acknowledged that maintaining momentum in the competitive games market can be difficult, but said the team remains committed to releasing content that stays true to the Sonic universe.
The interview also touched on SEGA’s continuing work with independent developers.
Iizuka praised TECOPARK’s approach to SONIC PICO PARK, saying the team understood how to combine Sonic’s recognizable actions with PICO PARK’s cooperative puzzle design. He also expressed interest in continuing SEGA’s tradition of working with indie developers.
Shintaro Shimazu revealed that the collaboration was originally imagined as something much smaller, with the initial proposal involving a possible Sonic character skin before discussions developed into a complete game.
Much of the remaining interview revisited previously discussed subjects, including Iizuka’s fondness for Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog’s introduction, and the development approach behind SONIC PICO PARK.
The more significant forward-looking comments concern how Sonic Team now views the franchise as a collection of different but equally meaningful pillars.
Rather than choosing between traditional Sonic games, racing titles, experimental projects, or outside collaborations, SEGA appears prepared to continue supporting all of them while expanding the series in different directions.
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