Sonic fans might want to clear their schedules for December 11, 2025. According to insider ramona (known as p0wyful on social media), SEGA is gearing up to reveal the next mainline Sonic game at The Game Awards this week. The leak suggests that despite concerns about getting overshadowed by potential GTA 6 announcements, Sonic Team feels confident enough in their project to showcase it on one of gaming’s biggest stages. With Sonic’s 35th anniversary approaching in 2026, the timing couldn’t be more perfect for a major announcement.
The Leak and Its Source
The information comes from ramona, a SEGA insider who has a mixed but increasingly credible track record within the Sonic community. They previously leaked details about Sonic Racing CrossWorlds DLC content before official announcements, including SpongeBob and TMNT characters joining the roster. While some community members remain skeptical about their reliability, ramona has been accurate enough on multiple occasions to earn attention when they make bold claims.
In their recent leak shared on social media, ramona stated that SEGA is preparing to showcase the next mainline Sonic project at The Game Awards. They specifically noted that the only scenario where SEGA wouldn’t show the game is if they were genuinely fearful of being overshadowed by GTA 6 news, but ramona believes Sonic Team is confident enough in their project to proceed regardless. This confidence is significant given that major publishers have reportedly been rescheduling announcements to avoid clashing with Rockstar’s marketing juggernaut.
The leak emphasizes this will be a mainline Sonic project, not just an update for Sonic Rumble, a movie tie-in, or DLC for existing games. According to the insider, this is the big one that fans have been waiting for since Sonic Frontiers launched in 2022 and received widespread critical acclaim for modernizing the franchise.
Sonic’s History at The Game Awards
SEGA has established a pattern of using The Game Awards as a reveal platform for major Sonic announcements. In 2024, the company surprised everyone by unveiling Sonic Racing CrossWorlds at the show, a multiplayer kart racer that nobody had leaked beforehand. The unexpected reveal generated significant buzz and demonstrated SEGA’s willingness to use Geoff Keighley’s event as a launchpad for marquee announcements.
Looking further back, Sonic Frontiers itself received major showcases at previous Game Awards ceremonies, building anticipation for what would become one of the franchise’s most successful entries in years. The pattern suggests SEGA views The Game Awards as the ideal venue to reach both hardcore Sonic fans and general gaming audiences with maximum impact.
This year, Sonic already has a presence at The Game Awards 2025 through nominations. Sonic Racing CrossWorlds received nominations for Best Family Game and Best Racing/Sports Game, while Sonic Rumble also earned recognition. Having the franchise already represented in the nominations creates a natural opportunity for SEGA to leverage that visibility with a major announcement during the broadcast.
What Could Be Revealed
The most popular speculation centers on Sonic Frontiers 2, a direct sequel to the open-zone adventure that revitalized the franchise in 2022. Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka has publicly confirmed that the next mainline Sonic game is in development and will build on everything the team learned from recent releases including Sonic Frontiers, Shadow Generations, Sonic Origins, and Sonic Superstars.
In an October 2025 interview, Iizuka indicated that SEGA is shifting focus away from remakes and remasters toward brand-new mainline entries. This statement strongly suggests Sonic Frontiers 2 represents the studio’s primary development priority, with the team applying lessons learned from their experimental open-zone gameplay to create something even more ambitious.
However, other possibilities exist. Leaked documents from 2022 outlined a five-year plan for the Sonic franchise that included anniversary celebrations and potential remakes. Some fans believe a Sonic Adventure remake or Sonic Heroes remaster could be announced, though rumors about a Sonic Heroes project supposedly targeting Fall 2025 have proven unreliable. The consensus among knowledgeable fans is that if SEGA is making a major Game Awards announcement, it will be a forward-looking new game rather than revisiting the past.
There’s also the Shadow the Hedgehog movie tie-in angle to consider. With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hitting theaters in December 2025 and focusing heavily on Shadow, SEGA could reveal a Shadow-focused game to capitalize on the character’s renewed mainstream popularity. However, most insiders believe the mainline team is focused on Sonic himself rather than spinning off into character-specific titles at this stage.
The 35th Anniversary Factor
Timing strongly supports a major announcement happening now. Sonic’s 35th anniversary arrives in 2026, specifically on June 23, marking more than three decades since the original Sonic the Hedgehog launched on the Sega Genesis in 1991. SEGA has historically treated milestone anniversaries as massive celebration events featuring multiple game releases, merchandise launches, and promotional partnerships.
The 30th anniversary in 2021 included Sonic Colors Ultimate remaster, Sonic Origins compilation, and the announcement of Sonic Frontiers. The build-up to that anniversary year began months in advance with strategic reveals designed to maintain momentum. If SEGA wants to launch a new mainline Sonic game in late 2026 to coincide with the 35th anniversary window, announcing it at The Game Awards 2025 provides a full year of marketing runway.
Leaked documents from SEGA’s long-term planning suggest the company views the 2025-2027 period as critical for re-establishing Sonic as a premier AAA gaming franchise. The five-year plan allegedly includes major releases timed around the anniversary, potentially even a Sonic Adventure 3 by 2027 if earlier projects prove successful. A December 2025 reveal fits perfectly into this strategic timeline, generating excitement that carries through the actual anniversary date and sustains interest until the game’s eventual release.
The GTA 6 Question
One of the most intriguing aspects of ramona’s leak is the reference to GTA 6 and whether SEGA fears being overshadowed. Rockstar Games has been dominating gaming news cycles with periodic updates about Grand Theft Auto 6, which remains the industry’s most anticipated title by a significant margin. Multiple publishers have reportedly adjusted their announcement schedules to avoid directly competing with Rockstar’s marketing machine.
However, The Game Awards represents such a massive platform that avoiding it entirely means sacrificing unparalleled visibility. The 2024 broadcast attracted millions of viewers across streaming platforms and generated enormous social media engagement. For SEGA, the calculus involves weighing the risk of reduced attention against the opportunity to showcase Sonic to such a large audience.
Ramona’s leak suggests SEGA has decided the opportunity outweighs the risk, which implies the company believes their Sonic reveal is strong enough to generate its own buzz regardless of what else gets announced. This confidence could stem from having a visually impressive trailer, a innovative gameplay concept that differentiates it from competitors, or simply trusting that Sonic’s dedicated fanbase will ensure the announcement trends on social media even if GTA 6 steals the overall spotlight.
Community Reaction and Skepticism
The Sonic community’s response to this leak has been cautiously optimistic but measured. Veteran fans have been burned by false rumors and disappointing announcements enough times to approach insider leaks with healthy skepticism. Ramona’s track record includes some accurate predictions, particularly regarding Sonic Racing CrossWorlds DLC, but also claims that haven’t panned out or couldn’t be verified.
Some community members on Reddit and Twitter have pointed out that ramona tends to make safe predictions about obvious developments, such as claiming Persona 6 is in development when that’s essentially guaranteed given the franchise’s success. The Hatsune Miku Fortnite collaboration that ramona leaked proved partially accurate, though details about SEGA’s involvement were incorrect, suggesting the insider has genuine sources but sometimes misinterprets or oversells the information they receive.
Despite these reservations, the specificity of claiming a Game Awards reveal just three days away creates a situation where ramona’s credibility will be definitively tested. If the announcement happens as predicted, it significantly boosts their standing as a reliable source. If nothing materializes, it damages their reputation within the community. This high-stakes timing makes the leak particularly interesting regardless of its accuracy.
What to Expect at The Game Awards
The Game Awards 2025 broadcasts live on December 11, 2025, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The show typically runs around three hours and features a mix of award presentations and world premiere game announcements. Host Geoff Keighley has promised multiple major reveals, creating an environment where a Sonic announcement would fit naturally into the program’s flow.
If the leak proves accurate, fans should expect a cinematic trailer showcasing the game’s visual style, setting, and core gameplay concepts. SEGA has refined its trailer presentation strategy over recent years, typically revealing new Sonic games with high-energy footage set to catchy music that emphasizes the series’ signature speed and personality. A release window of late 2026 seems most likely given typical development and marketing timelines.
The announcement could also include confirmation of platforms, which will be particularly interesting given Nintendo’s plans to launch a Switch successor in 2025. Sonic has historically been a multi-platform franchise, but how SEGA approaches next-generation console optimization will provide clues about the game’s technical ambitions and target audience.
FAQs
When is The Game Awards 2025?
The Game Awards 2025 takes place on December 11, 2025, broadcasting live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The show is hosted by Geoff Keighley and streams across multiple platforms including YouTube, Twitch, and various gaming networks.
Who is ramona/p0wyful and are they reliable?
Ramona (social media handle p0wyful) is an insider who has leaked SEGA and Sonic-related information with mixed accuracy. They correctly predicted some Sonic Racing CrossWorlds DLC content and other details but have also made claims that couldn’t be verified or were partially incorrect. The community views them as having some legitimate sources but advises treating their leaks as unconfirmed rumors.
What is Sonic Frontiers 2?
Sonic Frontiers 2 is the widely expected sequel to 2022’s Sonic Frontiers, which introduced open-zone gameplay to the franchise. Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka confirmed the next mainline Sonic game is in development and will build on lessons learned from recent releases. While not officially titled Sonic Frontiers 2, most fans and industry observers believe the next mainline entry will be a direct follow-up.
When is Sonic’s 35th anniversary?
Sonic the Hedgehog’s 35th anniversary falls on June 23, 2026, marking 35 years since the original game launched for the Sega Genesis in 1991. SEGA typically celebrates milestone anniversaries with major game releases, merchandise, and promotional events throughout the anniversary year.
What Sonic games are nominated at The Game Awards 2025?
Sonic Racing CrossWorlds received nominations for Best Family Game and Best Racing/Sports Game at The Game Awards 2025. Sonic Rumble also earned a nomination. These nominations give SEGA an existing presence at the ceremony that could naturally lead to additional announcements.
Could the announcement be a remake instead of a new game?
While possible, it seems unlikely. Sonic Team leadership has stated they’re shifting focus away from remakes and remasters toward new mainline entries. Rumors about Sonic Adventure or Sonic Heroes remakes have circulated but lack credible sourcing. Most industry observers expect a forward-looking new game announcement if SEGA makes a major Game Awards reveal.
Will GTA 6 overshadow any Sonic announcement?
Grand Theft Auto 6 remains the gaming industry’s most anticipated title, and any announcements related to it typically dominate news cycles. However, The Game Awards features dozens of reveals and Sonic has a dedicated fanbase large enough to generate significant buzz regardless of competing announcements. SEGA apparently believes their reveal is strong enough to stand on its own merits.
What platforms will the next Sonic game be on?
Platform details haven’t been officially announced, but recent mainline Sonic games have released across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and PC. With Nintendo planning a Switch successor in 2025 and the PlayStation 5/Xbox Series X generation well-established, the next Sonic game will likely target current-generation hardware across all major platforms.
Conclusion
Whether ramona’s leak proves accurate or not, the speculation highlights how hungry Sonic fans are for news about the franchise’s future. Sonic Frontiers successfully modernized the formula and left players wanting more, creating pent-up demand for a proper follow-up that capitalizes on that momentum. The Game Awards 2025 represents the perfect venue for SEGA to satisfy that demand with a major reveal that kicks off the 35th anniversary celebration in style. If the announcement happens as predicted, it validates both the insider’s credibility and SEGA’s confidence in competing for attention even in a crowded news environment. If nothing materializes, it serves as another reminder to treat leaks with appropriate skepticism until official confirmations arrive. Either way, Sonic fans only need to wait three more days to find out whether their patience will be rewarded with the next chapter in the blue blur’s ongoing adventures.