Sonic The Hedgehog Is Getting A New Racing Game

Sega's biggest franchise to date is still Sonic The Hedgehog. Despite having more missteps than hits with the blue speedster these days, Sega is still trucking onward and forward with new games and ideas, including a brand new racing title that hearkens back to the days of Sonic R.

Sega unveiled a 23-secondteaser trailer featuring a fuzzy image of the headlights of a sports car. You hear someone opening a door, getting into the car and closing the door. We get a brief glimpse of the lights turning on and then we hear the engine start and begin to rev.

The teaser rounds out with the silhouette of the game's logo slowing fading into view. However, before we can properly make anything out, the 'R' in the bottom half of the title turns on, lighting up a bright red with a gold outline in the typical "Sonic" font.

It's quite obvious that the title includes "Racing" in it, but what precedes it? What could it be? Sonic Racing? That seems a little trite. Then again, the logo isn't really large enough for much more text than that. We also know that it can't be a long-lost sequel or reboot of Sonic R, even though the logo is identical to the old Sega Saturn title.

Why isn't it a spiritual successor to Sonic R? Because the classic Saturn title featured Sonic and the rest of the cast racing around various locations on foot. We know that this new game will see players racing around in actual cars, not unlike Sega's Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing and its amazingly well-done sequel Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed.

IGN notes that Sega's PR has already shot down the rumors that a new Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is in the works. The developers of that game, Sumo Digital, are the ones behind the new racing game and leaked documents had hinted at the new game being a karting title.

In a way, a karting title would make sense, but it would be hard to separate it from Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing when it, too, is also a kart-racing game.

So what exactly will this racing game be? How will it tie into Sonic? Why are there cars?

Sega also just recently unveiled Sonic Mania Plus, which is the much-requested updated version of Sonic Mania that will be available at retailers for PS4, Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch. The game contains the basic version of Sonic Mania but with two additional playable characters and some other additional goodies.

Then again, maybe the whole vehicle tease is a red-herring? Maybe there are no vehicles in the upcoming game and it's actually a side-scrolling racing game? Right now it's anyone's guess what the new racing game will be, but we know for sure that Sumo Digital is working on it and we also know that it will be revealed soon.