"Our Open Zone is a world map," says Sonic Frontiers director Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. "Our Open Zone is a world map," says Sonic Frontiers director Anyone else still confused? News by Ed Nightingale News reporter Published on 16 Jun 2022 32 comments Sonic Frontiers director Morio Kishimoto has explained what the game's "Open Zone" structure really means. Speaking to IGN, Kishimoto's comments somewhat clarify what separates Sonic Frontiers from open-world games. "Level-based platformers often have a world map. Our Open Zone is a world map, only we've made it entirely playable," said Kishimoto. Watch on YouTube "A playable world map that includes stage-like elements is something that hasn't really been done before, so we had to come up with a new name. What is often defined as a World in other level-based platformers is called a Zone in Sonic games, so we took that and combined it with Open, which refers to a freely explorable field. So that's what Open Zone stands for." See? Sonic Team definitely hasn't just swapped out "world" for "zone". It's aiming for the game to be a development from previous platform games, rather than influenced by the current trend for open world games. "Super Mario Bros. 3 was released in Japan in 1988. I believe this was the first game to introduce a world map. The system has been used by countless platformers since, even to this day. A true evolution of this structure is what we see as the essence of Sonic Frontiers' field. We wanted to provide a next-gen level-based platforming experience. But how do we evolve a level-based platformer like Sonic into this new Open Zone? That's what Sonic Frontiers is all about," said Kishimoto. "The Open Zone stands central in Sonic Frontiers' gameplay, and the game's levels exist as elements within this area. From grind rails to platform objects, loops and so on, the Open Zone is packed with the athletic action we love in Sonic games." As for what will make Sonic Frontiers different from other platformers, the answer is - of course - speed. "In the Open Zone, the high-speed gameplay can carry players in any direction without the limitations of a stage or course," said Kishimoto. "In Sonic Frontiers, the Open Zone offers a lot of content already, so raising the difficulty in order to increase the play time was no longer necessary. From start to finish, we were able to maintain a sense of speed with ideal level design for a Sonic game." So, "Open Zone": an evolution, or a marketing ploy? Let us know in the comments. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 7 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 7 Latest Articles Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store