Sonic Team's Takashi Iizuka Discusses Aspirations for Sonic Adventure 3 and the Series' Legacy

Sonic Team’s Takashi Iizuka Reaffirms Passion for Sonic Adventure 3 Amid Development Hurdles The Sonic franchise, one of the gaming industry’s most enduring and beloved series, continues to generate excitement and speculation with each new release and interview.

Developed by Sonic Team, now a core part of Sega’s development efforts, the Sonic Adventure games on Dreamcast have become cult classics since their original launches in 1998 and 2001, respectively.

Each new mention of these games by Sonic Team leadership reignites fan hopes for a true Sonic Adventure 3, especially as the series continues to evolve on modern platforms like the Nintendo Switch and through digital storefronts such as the eShop. Recently, while speaking with Dot Esport, Takashi Iizuka—longtime head of Sonic Team and veteran producer—addressed this recurring topic.

When asked what he would add to a Sonic game if given complete creative freedom, Iizuka was candid about his passion for revisiting the storied Adventure series.

He emphasized, "My deepest wish is to develop a new Sonic Adventure game, building upon the legacy of the original titles I helped create.

Continuing this series has always been important to me, and I cherish the idea of advancing its innovation and storytelling." However, Iizuka was equally forthright about the realities of such a project.

Developing a third installment, he noted, would require extensive investment from Sega, significant development time, and the commitment to deliver a game with ambitious scale and quality.

"Achieving the expectations set by fans and the industry for a next-generation Sonic Adventure title would demand substantial resources and a considerable scope, both in gameplay volume and creative depth," he explained. This is not the first time Iizuka has reflected on the Adventure series’ future.

In previous statements, including at the end of 2018, he expressed openness to the idea of developing a remake of the original Sonic Adventure.

More recently, during discussions about Sonic Frontiers—a major open-zone platformer released for modern hardware such as the Nintendo Switch—he acknowledged that insights gained from new projects could inform potential developments for the Adventure series.

"It would be exciting to apply the lessons learned with Sonic Frontiers to a new Sonic Adventure game," Iizuka shared last summer. The enduring popularity of Sonic Adventure and its sequel, both among fans and on digital sales platforms like the eShop, continues to fuel calls for a new entry.

Yet, as Iizuka reiterates, realizing Sonic Adventure 3 remains an ambitious goal that would require full backing from Sega and a mutual understanding of what fans expect from a flagship Sonic experience on today’s leading consoles, such as the Nintendo Switch. As Sonic Team celebrates new milestones and explores the future of the franchise, Takashi Iizuka’s vision stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Sonic Adventure.

While no official plans for Sonic Adventure 3 have been announced, Iizuka’s comments keep hope alive for fans awaiting a return to one of Sega’s most cherished eras.

Sonic Team Sonic Adventure Sonic Takashi Iizuka Adventure Sega Sonic Adventure 2 Sonic Adventure 3 Sonic Frontiers Dot Esport Nintendo Switch