Not much, if anything, has been revealed about the plot of Sonic Frontiers since it was formally revealed. The only thing fans have had to go off of is a vague plot summary and the name of a location in the game. Despite the secrecy, the writer of the story was revealed to be Ian Flynn of the Sonic the Hedgehog Archie and IDW comics. Now, Flynn has revealed a few key details about Sonic Frontiers' plot and talked about what it's like working with Sega.
While Ian Flynn is considered the writer for Sonic Frontiers, he wasn't given control of everything in the game's story. In an interview with IGN, Flynn states that Sega "provided the story, backstory, plot beats, and usable characters" and told him to write about what he was given. Compared to the comics, he mentions that writing for a mainline Sonic game was handled completely differently.
Flynn also gives a bit more info on the premise of Frontiers as he speaks with IGN. Sonic along with his sidekick Tails and Amy Rose head for the Starfall Islands because the Chaos Emeralds have disappeared. Flynn says "things take a turn for the dramatic immediately, and Sonic is left alone with a lot of questions." The blue blur discovers the mystery of the Islands as he seeks to find his friends and the truth of what happened to the Emeralds.
It sounds like a typical Sonic plot, but it seems that things may be more interesting than they appear. Ian also mentions that the melancholy atmosphere felt in the game thus far is intentional, as "Sonic's never-say-die attitude" is put to the test in this environment as he helps his friends. Flynn also hints towards some sort of new character whose "very identity is shaped by their interactions with Sonic, which isn’t always a comfortable process."
When it came to the open zone nature of Sonic Frontiers, Ian mentions that the non-linear nature of the game meant that each plot point had to be "massaged and revised" to match the game's pacing as development constantly shifted. He also states that there will be individual character arcs weaved between Frontiers and the rest of the Sonic series that fans can spot, with Dr. Eggman's character in particular being taken in "some interesting directions."
For many fans, hearing that Ian Flynn was writing for Sonic Frontiers was a sign that good things were coming, and the information from the man himself definitely sounds promising. However, none of the details shared by Ian have surfaced in official reveals yet. It seems that players will need to wait for further information from Sega when it comes to what Ian Flynn has in store for Sonic and friends.
Sonic Frontiers will release Holiday 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: IGN