Ah, Sonic Frontiers. The open world adventure has endured a rough few weeks, with debut gameplay footage having been heavily criticised across the internet. Many fans have since called for a delay, which would in theory allow Sonic Team to further polish the game ahead of its Q4 2022 release window.
However, in a new interview with VGC, head developer Takashi Iizuka says that the studio has no plans to delay Sonic Frontiers as a result of fan feedback. In fact, the Sonic Team boss is confident that people will enjoy the game once they actually play it: "We realise a lot of people are watching the videos online and making assumptions, but we do feel confident based on the playtest results from the target demographic that are coming in and playing the game start to finish, they really like the game and we’re confident that we’re making a game that will be satisfying."
Iizuka basically says that assumptions are being made about Sonic Frontiers based on the aforementioned footage, and that having people play it for themselves should make the game's concept easier to "understand".
"If people come to Gamescom or Tokyo Game Show, [they can] get that hands-on experience to play the game and understand what the game is. Because right now we’re just kind of watching videos of people reacting to what they believe the game to be," says Iizuka.
And Iizuka is right, at least to some degree; it's obviously impossible to fully judge a game based on footage alone. That said, we'd argue that it's also perfectly possible to spot a potential stinker on the horizon — why else would Frontiers be met with so much criticism in the first place?
"We really feel confident in the playtest results that we’re getting. A lot of people are saying they had a lot of fun, they really enjoyed the game," Iizuka continues. We're willing to give Sonic Team the benefit of the doubt for now — especially since new previews are painting the game in a more positive light, like this one from Eurogamer — but as always, the proof will be in the pudding.
Do you think Sonic Frontiers will end up being a hit, or are you unconvinced? Spot a blue blur in the comments section below.
[source videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 26
If even after a few trailers, you're hoping people will "understand" what the game really is, you're doing a completely botched job advertising it.
Or maybe it is exactly what people think it is, and they don't like it.
We'll see I guess, but not really a good start...
I want this game to succeed, if only because it’s one of like three games releasing this holiday season. Lol.
But seriously, I’m really hoping we finally have an excellent 3D Sonic game. I wasn’t impressed with the videos either, but there’s still time…
Sometimes first impressions can be lasting impressions.
The videos we've seen of Frontiers made the game look rough, soulless and uninspiring.
Maybe playing the game will be different than watching? I know there's a few games that fit that category. Guess time will tell.
Other than sheer stupidity, I don't know what's stopping SEGA from making that demo that the press went hands-on with accessible to the public. If they feel like we "don't understand it" (whatever the hell that means), then, y'know, HELP US understand it by allowing everyone to try it out.
“Target demographic” are they key words here. Only the developers really know what that means though.
Man I would really just like to forget about this game and just think about it after reviews come out. Everything I’ve seen about the game looks awful, but people are really loving it. Even the small positive details that they are allowed to say because of Sega’s NDA makes me less hype (Like if Unleashed/Generation style stages are the highlight, then what’s the point of it open zone). They’re doing an awful job at communicating it, so I’m just gonna wait til people can be objective with it.
Said it before and I’ll say it again, I’ll trust the people that have played the game and spoke positively on it over the peanut gallery comments sections that always paint Sonic in broad strokes and comment on how bad the games are without having ever tried them for themselves.
They are confident we will like it once we play it and don’t want us to only go off the videos that we see… well that’s most games. We watch some footage and make the decision to either buy or not buy the game. It’s Sega’s job to sell the game to us. As a huge Sega fan, so far, I’m not sold.
It's their job to make the game look appealing in trailers and gameplay uploads.
And so far they are failing
Everyone who has actually gotten to play it has had good things to say about it. That's more worthwhile than the opinions based on some rough looking, poorly edited clips.
Marketing for this has been terrible but apparently it is actually fun to play.
I've held steady in that I still think there is something that could be really cool here. It's encouraging to see previews have generally been good to great. I'm really rooting for this game!
That said there is a reason marketing is such a major industry. It's not just something you can just ignore. It's important.
Look at the way Capcom has shown off SF6 for example. Their audience is eating up everything that game offers for the most part. Why? They have done a good job providing enough information for people to understand and think about without giving everything away which makes the product more interesting.
Sonic Frontiers on the other hand has been so secretive about everything that people understandably are not as interested because there is just so little to go on. The demonstration videos have been too vague.
There is a balance to strike between showing too little and showing too much. Sonic Frontiers has definitely been on the showing too little side.
@RBMango they want to make sure to get everyone's $70 before they "understand" it's a bad game, so no demo.
(Let's see how this comment ages xp)
@ThatMusicFan I would love a demo. Even if it's one of those PS Plus premium trials.
@Korgon agreed. Not a fan of this drip feeding after a year of blue balling. Sega needs a new marketing department.
The premise looks interesting, but everything we've seen has this same bland, repetitive gameplay to it. I fear "target demographic" means "kids interested in lunchboxes who loved the movie and would buy anything with the character in it" and not really any particular video game market.
@Sakisa The problem with Sonic isn't the people that judge the games without playing them, though. It's those of us who have tried to play them.... Colors Remastered aside, the last half decent sonic game made by Sega (meaning, not Mania) was Lost World, and that one was......iffy....
one thing for sure and certain is if they would’ve just made an adventure 3 it would no doubt succeed . but we know the talent behind those games is long gone
Sonic does deserve a really good 3d adventure. I hope for the best!
There's still time yet to impress us. If they are so confident it's going well, a little demo would be nice. We could feel differently when we play it ourselves so let us have a taste.
@nomither6 Well, Sonic 06 was more or less Sonic Adventure 3 and we all know how that turned out. I liked it tbh, but not many others did.
@Bentleyma but it was rushed though , that’s why i can’t get agree with people that say 06 was adventure 3 ; it deserves a second chance , it was ruined by management like everything is .
let them really sit down and make a sonic game studying sonic adventure 1 and 2 and what made those games good , and give them as much time and resources as they need . we’d see the first universally acclaimed 3D sonic game since forever , but i bet management wouldn’t allow that to happen
The initial reveal wasn't great but the previews and gameplay coming out today looks really good, certainly much more stable and smooth than the IGN video which very much seems to be an earlier build
The idea i got is that what we saw was simply a hub zone. They said there are stages as well.
So... my problem is only one, and that is that Sonic seems to control like the boost games and i don't like that. The way Sonic controlled in SA2 was great and sonic team has been unable to replicate it. Even Sonic lost world controls are better than boost.
Anyways, i will wait for release and see then if i get it or not.
How many of those play testers were Sega fans and really judging the game for what it is. I have no doubt it will be fun, but, a game can be fun and still be mediocre.
I'm sorry but that raises a big red flag warning for me. I refuse to touch this until Launch day reviews and gameplay are readily available.
No one is saying the game doesn't look fun, everyone is saying it looks kinda stupid. There's little to no cohesion, it's just mindlessly placed floating platforms, rails, and speed pads in a semi realistic world that clashes with these objects and Sonic himself.
@BartoxTharglod Eh, children have limited spatial and dexterous capacity and are more concerned with using their imagination to make their own fun with what they have. There’s no shame in it.
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