Why Sonic Mania 2 Was Never Developed: Insights from Sonic Team and Evening Star

For years, fans of the blue blur have been eagerly awaiting news of a direct sequel to the critically-acclaimed 2D platformer, Sonic Mania.

Released in 2017 by SEGA and developed by a team led by Christian Whitehead, Sonic Mania was heralded as a return to form for Classic Sonic, revitalizing the beloved character on modern platforms like the Nintendo Switch.

However, despite its commercial success and enduring popularity within the Sonic fan community, no official announcement for Sonic Mania 2 has ever materialized—leaving many to wonder about the fate of a follow-up. Recently, Game Informer sought answers by interviewing Takashi Iizuka (Creative Officer of Sonic Team) and Christian Whitehead, now the head of Evening Star, regarding the direction of Classic Sonic and the absence of Sonic Mania 2.

According to Iizuka, the lack of a sequel was an intentional decision: "After Sonic Mania's development, we collaborated on concepts for what could be the next evolution for Classic Sonic.

Though plans for a direct sequel didn't progress, I'm glad the vision we discussed was ultimately realized in Sonic Superstars." Building on these discussions, Iizuka elaborated that the collaboration after Mania focused on innovation.

"Our conversations with Christian Whitehead centered on creating a visually striking game that moved away from the pixel art of Mania.

The emphasis was to design entirely new experiences and levels, rather than reusing assets.

This vision set the stage for Sonic Superstars.

When we partnered with Arzest for Sonic Superstars, the ideas from our earlier talks were very much present, shaping our goal of delivering something fresh and modern." Christian Whitehead, whose studio Evening Star was formed after Sonic Mania’s release, echoed these sentiments.

"At Evening Star, our ambition was always to expand beyond traditional 2D pixel art and develop new intellectual property," Whitehead explained.

"Although we worked briefly with SEGA exploring the future of Classic Sonic, Sonic Mania 2 was never in development.

We all agreed early that the franchise needed a new direction—perhaps in the form of hand-drawn or 2.5D visuals.

During this period, we at Evening Star were focused on building our Star Engine and prototyping new gameplay ideas like 2.5D depth.

Ultimately, as Iizuka said, Evening Star did not take those ideas to full production for a Classic Sonic game, and development duties transitioned to Arzest and Sonic Team for Sonic Superstars." Sonic Superstars, a collaboration between Sonic Team and Arzest, is set to launch later this year on Nintendo Switch and other major platforms, promising visually stunning, all-new levels and mechanics that push Classic Sonic in innovative directions.

Meanwhile, Evening Star is preparing to debut its own original title, Penny’s Big Breakaway, a 3D platformer scheduled for release in 2024. The journey from Sonic Mania to Sonic Superstars and beyond reflects SEGA’s and its development partners’ commitment to evolving the Sonic brand.

While Sonic Mania 2 may not have materialized, the creative spirit that defined it continues to inspire new experiences for long-time fans and newcomers alike, both on the Nintendo Switch and across the gaming landscape.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo Sonic Team SEGA Switch Sonic Sonic Mania Penny’s Big Breakaway Classic Sonic Takashi Iizuka Evening Star Arzest Christian Whitehead Sonic Superstars