Earlier this week, Sega sent out a Sonic 2020 campaign video, which highlighted all of the Sonic video game releases throughout the decades. However, shortly after sending the video out, the publishers decided to pull it, likely because there are hidden messages throughout it which seem to hint at their next project.
Luckily, fans were able to grab the video before it was pulled, and another version of it can be seen in the tweet below.
Here's a saved copy of Sonic Official's #Sonic2020 video that was recently deleted. #SonicNews pic.twitter.com/G6wkuzOd3g
— Tails' Channel (@TailsChannel) December 31, 2019
Even though there might be more hidden throughout the video, fans have discovered the following hidden message.
“It began in 2015. A glimmer of a flame growing with each success enduring every challenge. Within this is my last puzzle. Remember the words Ignis aurum probat. (Fire Test Gold). This next chapter belongs to you.”
As of right now, it’s not clear what this message means. But, 2015 was a significant year for both Sega and Sonic, as it’s when the game’s official Twitter account began to gain popularity thanks to it being handed over to Aaron Webber. After the aforementioned Webber took over the official Sonic account, it’s been filled with memes that poke fun at the character, and fans of the franchise responded quite well to them.
It’s also possible that the “it began in 2015” comment is related to Sonic Mania, which was released back in 2017, but began development back in 2015. Ever since its release, there hasn’t been an official sequel announcement, so the Sonic 2020 video may be suggesting that an announcement will be coming soon.
It’s worth noting that if a new Sonic the Hedgehog title is already in production, then it’ll likely be announced at some point next year, as 2021 will mark the 30th anniversary of the first game. Of course, Sega could also announce the project at some point later this year, and follow-up the announcement with a 2021 release date.
Even though we don’t know if another Sonic game is currently in development at Sega, it’s pretty safe to assume that Sonic Mania will get a sequel, as it was widely considered to be the best title the franchise has released in years. There was a DLC expansion that got added to it post-release, which added new characters and added four-player split-screen capability.
The only Sonic-related content that’s confirmed to be coming soon is the movie, which has been the subject of a lot of criticism. As of right now, it’s scheduled to be released later this year.
