Long before Sega officially revealedSonic Frontiers, it released a teaser for the game that revealed little more than Sonic running through a forest, accompanied by strange blue and pink lights with a digital look to them. Thankfully, in late 2021, Sega finally unveiledSonic Frontiersproperly, announcing a newSonic the Hedgehogadventure in the Starfall Islands that dabbles in open-world mechanics. Aside from showing off the new setting, hinting at the partially open-world map design, and doubling down on a 2022 release window,Sonic Frontiers' release trailer was remarkable in that it confirmed the game’s name asSonic Frontiers,rather thanSonic Rangers.
Back when Sega released the first teaser for the game, someSonicfans discovered metadata that indicated that the game’s name might beSonic Rangers,which seemed fitting for a game with a seemingly nature-heavy design. Certain press release material also suggested that the game might have once beenSonic Rangers.Although Sega and Sonic Team have clearly settled on a different name by now,the potential former name ofSonic Rangerscould actually shed some light on the mysteriousSonic Frontiers,both in terms of its use ofSoniccharacters and its overarching plot.
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Sonic Frontiers' Potential Rangers
In a lot of different contexts, the term “ranger” is applied to a battle-ready person with intimate knowledge of the wilderness, whether they’re a protector of nature or a hunter that capitalizes on nature. The nameSonic Rangerswould therefore suggest that the game has some actual ranger characters, potentially associated with the Starfall Islands. While the game may not be calledSonic Frontiers,it could still featurea collection of newSoniccharacterswho act as rangers within the Starfall Islands, protecting each of its varied biomes and working to keep its ancient technology out of the wrong hands. Ranger characters like these seem like valuable allies for Sonic.
However, it’s possible thatSonic and his friendsare actually the rangers that the rumoredSonic Rangersname indicates. OneSonic Frontiersplot synopsis suggests that Sonic has to investigate the Starfall Islands' ruins and technology after Dr. Eggman harnesses their power in a dangerous way, and that could lead to Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy becoming unlikely rangers of the islands. As Sonic and company fight to keep the technology out of Eggman’s hands, they might inadvertently develop a relationship with the islands' wildlife, playing the role of impromptu rangers who work to preserve nature’s splendor.
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Sonic Frontiers' Relationship with Nature
Regardless of who the rangers in the possible former title are,Sonic Rangerscertainly seems to emphasize that nature is a central theme of the game.TheSonic Frontierstitlemay not emphasize rangers, but it certainly puts untamed wilderness and uncharted landscapes at the game’s forefront. Lots ofSonic the Hedgehoggames pit nature against technology in some way, but bothSonic RangersandSonic Frontierssuggest that nature is particularly important in the next game. It’s possible thatSonic Frontiershas a story about environmentalism to tell alongside its central conflict.
Sega and Sonic Team may never say explicitly if they considered running with the name ofSonic Rangers,but that rumored name’s impact may still be seen in this year’sSonic Frontiersannouncements. Since the game intends to release by the end of 2022, there could be a lot ofnewSonic Frontiersinformationcoming out in the next few months. Whether that means fans meet ranger-like denizens of the Starfall Islands or learn new plot details that emphasize protecting nature, it’s possible that theSonic Rangersname’s impact will be felt. In aSonicgame where players may have more liberty than ever to appreciate the world around them, themes and characters like that seem perfect.
Sonic Frontiersreleases in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
