Sonic X Shadow Generations Announces Prequel Animated Short…

Summary

Shadow the Hedgehog returns as a playable character in Sonic X Shadow Generations, with a new story campaign from his perspective.
An animated prequel short, Dark Beginnings, will premiere at Anime Expo on July 6, likely exploring Shadow's dark and troubled past.
Fans can send in questions for Sonic producer Takashi Iizuka, voice actor Kirk Thornton, and Stephanie Sheh, who fans suspect will voice Maria.

In preparation for Sonic X Shadow Generations' release later this Autumn, Sega has announced an animated prequel short starring Shadow the Hedgehog will premiere later this Summer. The upcoming Sonic X Shadow Generations is an updated re-release of the 2011 title, not only upgrading the original game with 60 FPS and HD graphics, but also featuring Shadow as a playable character for the first time since 2017's Sonic Forces. The remaster will also add on an additional story campaign taking place from Shadow's perspective, as he faces off against some of his past foes.

Shadow's story in Shadow Generations will dive into the hedgehog's dark and troubled past, with the game pitting him against past foes like Black Doom from the Shadow the Hedgehog spin-off. Many fans are interested in seeing how the developers are tackling Shadow's backstory, with many hoping to see Sega and Sonic Team streamlining his character into the anti-hero figure that made him such a fan favorite in the first place. An upcoming prequel short will also be exploring the character's past before the game's launch.

On the official Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter account, it was announced that a prequel short titled Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings will be premiering during Sega's panel at Anime Expo on July 6, which is all about Shadow himself. Sonic the Hedgehog producer Takashi Iizuka, Shadow the Hedgehog's voice actor Kirk Thornton, and voice actor Stephanie Sheh will be present at this panel, with fans being encouraged to send in questions that will be answered during the panel. Fans have until the end of May to send in their questions.

Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings Will Be Shown at Anime Expo 2024

Short Premieres on July 6, 2024

This continues a recent trend with new mainline Sonic the Hedgehog releases, where an animated prologue short starring a certain character gets released before the game's launch. Sonic Frontiers had an animated short starring Knuckles and how he gets entangled in the game's events, and Sonic Superstars had a similar prologue that featured the game's villains, Fang the Hunter, Trip the Sungazer, and Dr. Eggman. It's only natural in a year focused on Shadow the Hedgehog that he would get his own short before Sonic X Shadow Generations' launch too.

Some fans noted that Maria, a character integral to Shadow's backstory, will likely make an appearance in the short. This is based on Stephanie Sheh's presence as a special guest on the panel, when the last character she played in the franchise was Zeena from Sonic Lost World, a game that didn't feature Shadow in any capacity. With that taken into consideration, Sheh will likely be Maria's new voice actor. Many are very excited to see the short, hoping it will be faithful to Shadow's character.

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Sonic X Shadow Generations

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9 /10

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Released: October 25, 2024

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THE RETURN OF SHADOW
In this new standalone campaign, Shadow's nemesis, Black Doom, has reemerged and threatens to take over the world once again. Shadow must journey into his past, confront his painful memories, and unlock new dark powers to save the world.

SHADOW EVOLVED
Harness Shadow's new Doom Powers to battle hordes of enemies and tackle platforming challenges like never before. Surf on water, fly over obstacles, and stop time with the return of Chaos Control!

A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME AND DIMENSIONS
Experience the ultimate showdown between Shadow and Black Doom in a new boss battle that will test your skills and reflexes. Use all of Shadow's abilities to defeat Black Doom and save the world!

EXPLORE THE NEW WHITE SPACE
Stretch your legs in an all-new hub world inspired by the open-zone gameplay of Sonic Frontiers. As Shadow gains new powers, he can explore further and uncover the secrets hidden throughout!