Summary
- In just a few short days, the “Year of Shadow” will officially come to an end.
- The year-long celebration in honor of the moody hedgehog brought a new game, anime, merchandise and a live-action debut to fans.
- Taking to Reddit, Sonic fans discussed whether the campaign was a success in revitalizing the character.
Only nine short days separate us from 2024 and 2025, and once the calendar flips to 2025, it will not only mark a new year. No. It’ll also mark the end of the “Year of Shadow,” Sega’s year-long celebration of the moody hedgehog.
It was a pretty monumental year for Shadow fans, as they were treated to a brand-new game in Sonic x Shadow Generations, complete with a full Shadow solo adventure. There was also Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which brought the character to live-action, voiced by none other than Keanu Reeves. Speaking of Reeves, he also lent his voice for a DLC pack for the game, though it wasn’t nearly as well-received.
Elsewhere, there was also a tour featuring a 1:1 motorcycle modeled after Shadow’s iconic ride, an anime telling Shadow’s origins and a LEGO set, among other additions. In other words, Sega went all-out to celebrate Shadow.
But was it a success in the eyes of Sonic fans? Taking to Reddit, fans near and far shared their takes. Hint: it was a boom.
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“Genuinely a well done year that properly celebrated the character,” one user wrote in part. “With what we got, it’s clear Shadow got a much-needed revitalization of his character that hasn’t been seen since ’06.” Indeed, after literally being in the shadows, Shadow was given a proper spotlight, complete with a game, anime and live-action debut.
“I think it’s great that Sega is finally acknowledging how popular Shadow is among fans,” another chimed in. “Everything he’s appeared in all year has been a huge hit. I hope that Shadow will get his own standalone game again before too long.”
Unfortunately, the only thing missing from that celebration was a true standalone game. Even a remaster of the nostalgic Shadow the Hedgehog would’ve likely sufficed among fans.
Still, not every fan was happy-go-lucky, with one suggesting that the same level of effort should be put into the other characters of Sonic’s world. “Honestly, a Year of X character (or maybe X Team for less popular characters) would be a cool thing to do semi-regularly,” a user suggested in response. “Give other characters the spotlight instead of just Sonic, Tails, and sometimes Knuckles or Amy.”
Whichever way you look at things, Shadow is no longer in Sonic’s shadow, having fully come into his own. Now it’s up to Sega to capitalize on the new popularity and strike while the iron is hot.
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