Sonic Forces

Project Sonic 2017 is the tentative title of an upcoming platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series which is being developed by Sonic Team and to be published by Sega. It is scheduled to be released during Q4 2017 for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game will mark the return of the collaboration between both Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic since the twentieth anniversary game Sonic Generations. Despite initial popular belief, this title is not a sequel to any of the previous games.

Development
The title was first mentioned at the Tokyo Joypolis Sonic 25th party on 25 June 2016. The game was announced at Sega's 25th anniversary of the series at San Diego Comic-Con on 22 July 2016, where it was announced alongside Sonic Mania. The game will be developed by Sonic Team, the same team that had previously developed Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, and will be headed by Sonic series veteran Takashi Iizuka. The presence of Classic and Modern Sonic lead some journalists to believe it was a sequel to Sonic Generations, but Iizuka confirmed that it was not a sequel, but a new, stand-alone title. The game will be released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in late 2017.

During the Sonic live stream that was held in Japan due to the release of Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, it was revealed that there will be a new character scheduled for this title, along with a new component for gameplay besides the regular 2D and 3D gameplay.

SXSW 2017 have announced they will be hosting a second Sonic panel for this year’s event, set to reveal news about the upcoming Sonic Mania and Project Sonic 2017.

The latest Nintendo Dream Magazine from Japan has revealed new information about the upcoming Project Sonic 2017 game for the Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One. The blurb states that Dr. Eggman will be the main villain, that there will be no multiplayer features, and that the genre for the game is “adventure”.

Characters

 * Sonic the Hedgehog (classic and modern)
 * Unknown new character
 * Unidentified Death Egg Robot-based mechas
 * Doctor Eggman

Reception
The International Business Times praised Sega's approach of announcing and releasing the duo of Project Sonic and Sonic Mania in the same year, stating that catering to the new fans with Project while catering to the old-school fans with Mania could help repair the series's poor reputation with more recent releases, and in turn lead to a "Sonic renaissance".

Trivia

 * This is one of the first games to be announced for the Nintendo Switch, as well as the second third-party title announced for the system.
 * This will be the first 3D title to be released for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and the Nintendo Switch.