The Sonic series is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Series producer Takashi Iizuka and brand director Kazuyuki Hoshino reflected on the brand's history during Tokyo Game Show 2026. Iizuka reaffirmed that while the series expands into films and animation, games will remain the core focus of its future development.
Takashi Iizuka stated that he has been involved with the Sonic series for 33 years—longer than he has spent raising his own children—making Sonic feel like a child and part of himself. Kazuyuki Hoshino described Sonic as a "comrade" who has accompanied him through much of his career.
Discussing the long-term direction of the series, Iizuka identified Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic, and Sonic Racing as its three main pillars. Sonic Racing: Crossworlds has now entered its second season, and both the Modern and Classic Sonic product lines will continue to develop. The team remains committed to establishing unique identities for each title through varied gameplay mechanics to avoid repetition within the series.
Six DLC packs will be rolled out for Season 2 of Sonic Racing: Crossworlds. Collaborations with Godzilla and Neon Genesis Evangelion have already been announced, with the remaining four DLCs scheduled to be revealed soon. Iizuka mentioned that Season 1 featured collaborations with IPs such as Minecraft, Pac-Man, and SpongeBob SquarePants, which helped bring some players back to the game.
In addition to the racing title, the event also offered demos for Hyde, an action-puzzle game supporting up to eight players. The team aims to reach a broader audience with titles tailored to different demographics: Sonic Frontiers targets core gamers, while Sonic Superstars emphasizes family-friendly multiplayer fun.
Takashi Iizuka believes that the key driving force behind the series' longevity has been the continuous release of new titles and fresh gameplay experiences. In recent years, Sega has strengthened its character and cross-media business, but this will not change its game development strategy. He noted that while a fourth film in the movie series has been confirmed, Sonic games remain the most important core of the brand.
The series' future lineup also includes an announced children's animated series, as well as a roughly 12-minute short anime planned for release on YouTube to celebrate the 35th anniversary. Takashi Iizuka stated that Sonic Racing: Crossworlds will continue to receive new content, and new Sonic games, animations, or film projects will be unveiled according to schedule.