Sonic Mania 2 Is Still Possible, But Not In Development

A Sonic Mania 2 is not currently in development, but Sonic Team creative officer Takashi Iizuka says the idea has not been removed from consideration. Sega and Evening Star, the studio formed by key Sonic Mania developers, remain on good terms and still want to work together when the right opportunity appears.

What happened to Sonic Mania 2?

Sonic Mania launched in 2017 after Sega partnered with independent developers led by Christian Whitehead. Its pixel-art presentation and classic-focused design earned widespread praise, followed by the expanded Sonic Mania Plus release. Sega and the developers later explored ideas for another Classic Sonic project, reaching the prototype stage, but the project never entered full production.

The proposed follow-up was also not necessarily intended to be a direct Sonic Mania sequel. Iizuka wanted to explore a different visual direction, including 3D models and concepts that could broaden the series’ audience. Evening Star has explained that it was interested in moving beyond pixel art and developing original games, while its team experimented with a 2.5D Sonic prototype using its Star Engine.

Those discussions eventually ended, and Arzest collaborated with Sonic Team on Sonic Superstars instead. Evening Star then focused on its own original 3D platformer, Penny’s Big Breakaway.

Why it matters for Sonic fans

Iizuka’s latest comments leave the door open without presenting a sequel as an active project. He says Sega maintains a close relationship with Evening Star, including informal meetings, and believes the studio could make another strong Sonic game. However, Evening Star is pursuing other work, and the company has not announced its next project.

Evening Star chief technology officer Hunter Bridges offered a similar message: the studio is currently making something that is not a Sonic title, but it would consider another collaboration if the circumstances matched on both sides. He also indicated that a future project would not automatically have to be called Sonic Mania 2.

That distinction is important. Fans may want a return to Mania’s pixel-art formula, but both sides have previously shown interest in new ideas, different presentation styles, and more ambitious technology.

What to watch next

Sonic Team is currently working with TecoPark on Sonic Pico Park, an action-puzzle game scheduled for release in November. Iizuka says TecoPark’s expertise filled an area Sonic Team had not previously explored, illustrating how Sega chooses partners for specific strengths rather than simply repeating an established formula.

Sega has not announced its next project with Evening Star, and neither studio has publicly revealed its broader upcoming plans. Iizuka has nevertheless said he wants to keep developing both the 2D and 3D sides of Sonic. That leaves room for another collaboration, although there is no evidence that a Sonic Mania sequel is close to becoming reality.

For now, the most likely development is continued communication rather than an imminent announcement.

Key takeaways

• Sonic Mania 2 is not currently moving forward.
• Sega and Evening Star still have a positive working relationship.
• Earlier collaboration reached prototype development but not full production.
• Evening Star’s next project is not a Sonic game.
• A future collaboration could pursue ideas beyond the original Mania formula.

How the recent platformers were received

Expert View

The encouraging part of this update is the relationship, not the sequel tease. Sonic Mania proved that Sega can benefit from a focused collaboration with developers who understand the series’ history, but Evening Star’s comments suggest it does not want to be locked into nostalgia. If the teams reunite, the strongest result may be a fresh Sonic project that preserves Mania’s discipline and personality without treating a second pixel-art game as the only acceptable direction.