(Image: SEGA)

Sega is looking to gear gaming (hehe, "game gearing"...I'll see myself out) in 2022 an earnest effort to make the signature blue hedgehog a big part of the year. They have launched "Project Sonic '22", with accompanying logo designs and artwork, marketing the direction Sonic Frontiers, Sonic's newest game, is aiming for. The character is standing outside to the iconic power rings, featuring a world beyond. The slogan "Welcome To The Next Level", a tagline for the Sega Genesis and in honor of Sonic's 30th anniversary that was celebrated in 2021.

"SEGA Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce that the key message within 2022 for its representative character "Sonic the Hedgehog" will be "Project Sonic '22".
In 2022, we are planning not only to release the new game software " Sonic Frontiers " but also to refrain from releasing the movie " Sonic the Movie / Sonic VS Knuckles ". Please keep an eye on "Sonic the Hedgehog" in the future!"

Other artwork images include the Project Sonic image as a smartphone wallpaper as a part of the Enjoyment section of the Sonic Channel page, where samples of Knuckles the Echidna can be found.

(Image: SEGA)

(Image: SEGA)

(Image: SEGA)

Both sides of the planet are pretty busy with the Sonic name. The sequel to Jeff Fowler's Sonic The Hedgehog movie is scheduled to hit theaters April 8, and there's still details to be revealed on the new Sonic Prime cartoon series that's coming to Netflix later in the year. Sonic has had a rough time trying to regain his footing in the world of video games. Sonic Colors Ultimate launched with bad glitches, and there was a more than lukewarm reception to 2017's Sonic Forces.

How much will the Sonic name fare in the year 2022? It won't be a boring year for fans of the Blue Blur, for better and /or worse.