Sega Announces Fearless: Year of Shadow

2024 is looking like a very big year for Shadow the Hedgehog. The character is slated to appear in Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and will also co-star in the upcoming video game Sonic x Shadow Generations. Sega plans on celebrating the character in a very big way this year, so much so that they're starting a fan celebration campaign that they're calling "Fearless: Year of Shadow." Throughout the year, Sega will be highlighting the character in a big way, and fans can look forward to all kinds of promotions and merchandise. 

A trailer for the Year of Shadow fan celebration campaign can be found below. 

Welcome to the Year of Shadow. pic.twitter.com/0WdVQvRpZu

— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) April 9, 2024

Shadow Dark Rider Tour

In addition to the already announced events, Sega revealed that it has recreated Shadow's iconic Dark Rider motorcycle. The custom-made motorcycle features a sleek black and red color scheme, and it will be going on tour this year. So far, just one stop on the tour has been announced, but it's coming up this weekend! Sonic fans can check out the cycle at the MotoGP Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The event is taking place from April 12th through the 14th. Of course, those that won't get the chance to check out the event can always snag the Shadow the Hedgehog Escape set from LEGO, which was released late last year. That set is based on Shadow's debut in Sonic Adventure 2, and features a (much smaller) take on the Dark Rider. 

Sonic x Shadow: Generations

Announced earlier this year, Sonic x Shadow Generations is an upcoming remake of the 2011 video game, Sonic Generations. The game does not have a set release date, but will appear this autumn on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. While Shadow was not a playable character in the original game, he will star in a brand-new campaign exclusive to Sonic x Shadow Generations. At this time, Sega has not revealed many details about the campaign, but it will see the return of the Black Arms from the 2005 game Shadow the Hedgehog. 

The original Sonic Generations is often considered one of the very best Sonic video games ever, so it seems like a fitting release for the Year of Shadow! It remains to be seen whether the new content will be as enjoyable as the 2011 game, but at the very least, it should give a new generation a chance to see why it's so well-regarded. An autumn release also means the game should be arriving just a little ahead of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which has a theatrical release date of December 20th. At this time, we do not know who will be voicing Shadow in the movie. 

Are you excited about the Year of Shadow? What Shadow related merchandise and events do you want to see this year? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!