A new Sonic the Hedgehog trademark filing
A new Sonic the Hedgehog trademark filing has appeared online, alongside an accompanying logo that has fans wondering what the purpose is. While it's possible that this is for a new game, or even a TV series, the accompanying art suggests that the characters could be appearing in other media, with Sonic appearing in a Nintendo Switch battle royale game.
The filing itself, which you can see below, shows that Sega has filed a trademark for "Sonic & Friends," with a logo that appears to depict the titular hedgehog alongside other characters.
The purpose or nature of this new Sonic project is currently unknown, leading to a variety of theories. The logo's resemblance to a character design from a Sonic 3DS theme suggests that this is the intended appearance for some of the characters.
Potential characters in "Sonic & Friends"
Based on the art, we could potentially see the following characters in "Sonic & Friends":
Another possibility is that "Sonic & Friends" is a TikTok shorts series. Back in April, during Sonic Station Live, Sega hinted that it was working on a project with TikTok, and the art above aligns with that concept.
A TikTok series would certainly complement "Sonic Prime," which is already targeting a younger audience. Of course, the above is just speculation based on available promotional material and the name, but we'll find out if there's substance to any of these theories in due course.
Regardless of what "Sonic & Friends" turns out to be, there's no denying that a lot of speculation is going to follow, as it's unclear what the nature of this project is. That said, it's also worth noting that a sequel or successor to "Sonic Shuffle" would be welcome among some fans, despite the similarities between the above artwork and the following image from "Sonic Shuffle."
The article also ends with a brief mention of the upcoming 2D game "Superstars," which is slated for a release later this year. This is a clear sign that Sega is interested in returning to Sonic's roots, which is certainly welcome news among fans of the classic 2D games.
What do you think of this new Sonic the Hedgehog trademark filing? Let us know in the comments.
Featured image credit: Takoyakiya (Twitter)
