Sega is expanding Sonic Team for the series' 35th anniversary with senior-level hires

Sega is on a hiring push for Sonic Team, and the timing lines up with the franchise hitting its 35th anniversary. The open roles include a producer, lead planner, lead graphics programmer, and technical art manager — all senior-level positions based out of Shinigawa City, Japan.

The job listings don't name a specific project, which is standard, but the seniority of the roles signals something substantial is ramping up in development. The recruitment drive comes shortly after a relatively quiet Summer Game Fest showing for Sonic, where the series only got a trailer for Sonic Racing: Crossworlds and a reveal for Sonic: Pico Park. Fans on Reddit weren't shy about their disappointment — many had hoped for something bigger, like a new Sonic Frontiers follow-up or a Shadow the Hedgehog game.

The hiring activity suggests that bigger project may still be in early enough development that it wasn't ready to show. With a milestone anniversary year still ongoing, there's a reasonable chance Sega has something more substantial waiting in the wings.