Sonic the Hedgehog's Secret Project: Exciting New Game Underway!

A recent trademark filed by Sega suggests the development of another Sonic the Hedgehog game titled "Sonic and Friends." The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is expected to have a successful year in 2023, with numerous media and game releases. Fans can anticipate intermittent DLC updates for Sonic Frontiers, a 2D platformer called Sonic Superstars that aims to return to the series' roots, and the upcoming second season of Sonic Prime set to release in July. Additionally, there are indications that more projects are underway within the franchise. Sega's previous trademark filings have proven to unveil game titles, as seen in 2021 when the trademark revealed the official title for Sonic Frontiers, debunking the game's prototype name, "Sonic Rangers." Another trademark from Sega has surfaced following a similar pattern.

The Sonic Stadium fansite discovered a Sonic the Hedgehog trademark on the Japanese trademark website Chizai Watch in late June. The trademark, titled "Sonic and Friends," falls under the same categories as the trademark for Frontiers in 2021. These categories include marketing materials, promotional materials, education, entertainment, and the use of gaming media storage devices such as magnetic tapes, disks, ROM cartridges, and optical disks. The inclusion of games for mobile devices suggests a high possibility that this trademark is connected to a new game. However, the specific details of the content are still unknown. Currently, the Sonic franchise supports two mobile games: Sonic Forces: Speed Battle and Sonic Prime Dash. Rumors suggest that Sega Hardlight may stop supporting Sonic Forces: Speed Battle in the coming years. Furthermore, an old leak indicated that Sega Hardlight might be developing a narrative-driven platformer Sonic game inspired by Genshin Impact. The title "Sonic and Friends" aligns with this description, where players can guide Sonic or one of his various friends to accomplish objectives.

With that being said, there is no evidence indicating that this will be the scenario. It is possible that this trademark could pertain to a different Sonic the Hedgehog spin-off in the future, but currently, this remains mostly speculative. It is hoped that this trademark implies a forthcoming revelation, providing fans with another reason to celebrate Sonic's 32nd anniversary.