The second episode of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is still a long way off, as Sonic Team's Takashi Iikuza has said he is hoping to release it in 2012. The development is stalled as the team focuses on getting Sonic Generations out this year, but Iikuza claims that was always the plan.

"This year, 2011, is the anniversary, so we're focusing on the celebration title," Iikuza told Eurogamer. "But moving forward to 2012, Sonic will still be going, so I'd hope to provide Episode 2 then."

The first game was released in 2010, making the potential two-year wait time between episodes more Valve, less Telltale. Still, Iizuka says Sega has planned this timing for a while. "We knew about the anniversary year, and Generations was planned way in advance. It was always our plan to release Episode 2 after Generations."

But what will the long wait for Episode 2 mean for Episode 3? Unfortunately, Iizuka isn't even sure if there will be an Episode 3. "We can't say if there's going to be Episode 3 or not," Iizuka said.

Whatever the current state of Episode 2, Sega feels they're adequately dealing with some of the issues of the first game. Sega of America and Europe president Mike Hayes recently said, "I think the next one's excellent. I think that's going to overcome some of the issues we had on the first one."