Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka wants to continue the trend of spotlighting different Sonic characters each year, following the success of the Year of Shadow.
Shadow the Hedgehog was celebrated last year to build anticipation for the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film, alongside the release of Sonic x Shadow Generations.
It seems this was a success for Sega. In an interview at the Brasil Game Show earlier this month (thanks NintendoLife), Iizuka stated he’d like a new theme each year, based on characters in future films.
“Last year, we promoted The Year of Shadow, influenced by the movie, but I’d like to choose a theme each year and spotlight different characters,” said Iizuka. “I think we can predict which characters will appear in the upcoming movie, so I’d like those characters to play an active role.”
A Sonic the Hedgehog 4 film has already been greenlit, announced shortly after the release of the third film last year. A release date was then provided shortly after: 19th March 2027.
What’s more (spoiler warning!), the post-credits scene in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reveals that Amy Rose and Metal Sonic will appear in the new film – could it be based on Sonic CD?
Perhaps, then, we could see a Year of Amy celebration to build hype for the next film. Could whatever’s coming after Sonic Frontiers be included?
And could other Sonic characters feature in future? The Year of Big the Cat? The Year of Cream the Rabbit?
This year, Sega has a Racing Around The World campaign to celebrate the release of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. That resulted in a collaboration with the McLaren Racing team, among other events.