Sega has officially declared 2024 the year of Shadow the Hedgehog, in recognition of the beloved character’s various upcoming appearances. As announced, Fearless: Year of Shadow is a year-long celebration of the anti-hero, with various highlights planned.
This includes the upcoming re-release of Sonic Generations – Sonic x Shadow Generations – set to launch in Autumn 2024 [Northern Hemisphere]. This game features a complete visual remaster of the original game, as well as a new Shadow-starring story campaign.
That’s not the only place Shadow will pop up over the coming year – he’s also set to be celebrated in Sonic Forces and Sonic Dash, with new “Fearless” mobile events introducing Shadow variants like Super Shadow, Vampire Shadow, Sir Lancelot, and Dragon Hunter Lancelot.
In his highest-profile appearance, Shadow the Hedgehog will also star as the antagonist of feature film, Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He first turned up in the post-credits scene of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, floating in an experiment tank, and will make his proper debut when the film arrives in December 2024.
Read: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 first look reveals Shadow the Hedgehog
Smaller celebrations of Shadow will also take place in the coming months, including at the Sonic Symphony World Tour, where Shadow scores will play alongside footage of his “coolest moments” on screen.
Per Sega, the core message of Fearless: Year of Shadow isn’t just that Shadow the Hedgehog is cool – it’s also about encouraging video game fans to: “break barriers, be unafraid, be at your best, and do it all with a powerful confidence.” It’s encouraging everyone to “embrace their inner Shadow” and stay true to their values.
Notably, Shadow the Hedgehog has attempted to conquer the Earth before – but I don’t think that’s what Sega means by “embracing your inner Shadow.” It’s probably best to be more inspired by his change of heart and turn to more heroic ways.
In the coming months, we anticipate Sega will announce more news and features for the official Year of Shadow the Hedgehog, so stay tuned if you’re keen to celebrate the edgiest hedgehog in all his many appearances.
