Sega has announced that Sonic Rumble has been delayed.
The 32-player online PC and mobile game has been in soft launch in a number of regions for some time, and was set to release globally on May 8.
However, the game has now been delayed to an unspecified date, because its development studio “needs more time” to implement its new modes.
A statement from The Sonic Rumble Team reads: “Thanks to your incredible support, we’ve surpassed 1.4 million pre-registrations, a milestone that speaks volumes about your passion for Sonic Rumble. With this level of excitement, we feel an even greater responsibility to deliver an experience worthy of your time.
“As we prepare for Update 1.2, we will introduce major features like Crews, Rumble Ranking and Skills. These changes will fundamentally reshape the game, and one thing has become clear: We want to create a game that evolves and stays fun for months and years to come. To build the kind of high-quality, long-lasting Sonic game our players deserve, we need more time.
“As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone the Global Launch. We know this news may be disappointing and it wasn’t a decision we made lightly. We believe taking the extra time is the right choice for the future of Sonic Rumble.
“We don’t have a new release date to share yet, but as soon as we get closer, we’ll update you through our social media and community channels.”
Last year, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka confirmed that Sonic Rumble won’t have any gacha or play-to-win mechanics, because they’re not popular in the West.
“In the Japanese and Asian markets, it’s common to have to spend tens of thousands of yen [in a game] until you draw a rare character and finally get to move on,” Iizuka explained.
“But this is not the case in the global market, especially for an action game like Sonic Rumble, where players should be able to enjoy the game on an equal footing.”
Instead, the game will feature a Season Pass structure, which will mostly revolve around character skins and emotes, as well as a daily updating Ring Shop where players will be able to exchange rings (earned through gameplay or purchased with real money) for cosmetic items.
