Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-27330121-20160928223755/@comment-679780-20161022215343

An old saying: If the formula isn't broken, don't fix it.

Takashi Iizuka confirms the game is not a sequal to Sonic Adventure 2 or Sonic Generations, but it is also confirmed that it's made from the same guys who made Sonic Colours and Sonic Unleashed meaning the gameplay itself will be just like it, in favour of the Mario like gameplay in Lost World.

I believe like Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Colours and Sonic Generations, the game will be part of overall continuity, but the game a side-series sequal like Sonic Adventure 2, Rivals 2 or Rush Adventure was. Though may use bits of story from past games, such as my theory/suggest Sonic '17 could show what could happen to the Death Egg mk.11 after Sonic 4. It's unlikely Sega will bother to finish the Sonic 4 episodes. So Sonic '17, with time travel shenanigans, would be ideal to conclude what happened to the Death Egg mk.II.

Though chances are Sonic '17 will be about some other time machine and SOnic 4 story will forever stay unconcluded.