Major spoilers ahead forShadow GenerationsandSonic Frontiers.
Shadow Generationsmight not feature two different versions of the black hedgehog, but he still goes down memory lane for better and for worse. Attached with Sonic’s 2011 adventure inSonic X Shadow Generations,Shadow Generationslearns from what came after the original release and takes a similar approach toSonic Frontiersin many respects. Notably, Shadow’s newest solo game didn’t repeatFrontiers' post-launch DLC plans.
Free post-launch content keptSonic Frontiersfans playingthroughout 2023 with the last DLC wave including a new story for the last island with a new ending. Compared to all the content that the open-zone adventure received in the span of a year,Shadow Generationswent out with an extraSonic the Hedgehog 3movie tie-in level and nothing else. However, there are plenty of reasons why Sonic Team’s approach with Shadow Generations is for the best.
Shadow Generations Represents Moving On Both Thematically and Literally
Even ifSonic X Shadow Generationswas never meant to follow inSonic Frontiers' post-launch footsteps exactly, there’s still a fair bit of unexplored territory the game has in terms of DLC. Sonic Team could have added new stages to either balance out Shadow’s seven to Sonic’s nine, new challenges, or perhaps new stages forSonic Generationsbased on newer titles like Shadow’s Chaos Island and Sunset Heights levels. Instead, Sonic Team and Sega pushing forward withSonic Racing: CrossWorldscoming soon with plenty of DLC attached. In the face ofhow wellSonic X Shadow Generationssold, there’s certainly an argument for additional post-launch content of some sort, butShadow Generationsserves as a counterargument with its narrative message alone.
Why Sonic Frontiers Could Have Multiple Endings Where Shadow Generations Could Not
Shadow Generationswas created as a playable history for fans who were introduced to the black hedgehog withthe release ofSonic the Hedgehog 3. It covers a long-standing character arc involving his origins that takes center stage inSonic Adventure 2andShadow the Hedgehog. InGenerations, Shadow is given a chance to change the tragedy he’s shouldered since his first appearance, and ends up begrudgingly accepting it needs to be left alone.
With the message ofShadow Generationsfront and center, leaving the compilation game without any additional content is the best approach Sonic Team could have made to keep these themes in players' minds.
Sonic Frontiersalso had a tragedy attached to its ending in the death of new AI character Sage. As of the Final Horizon DLC’s new ending, though,Sage survives the climactic finalethanks to the different choices Sonic and his friends make. Shadow’s story is much different than Sonic’s in this regard, as the tragedy ofShadow Generationstells a powerful story about the pain of loss and the power of letting go by marking an end to Shadow’s time Gerald and Maria Robotnik. A second ending where this is changed would thematically ruin this message.
In terms of Sonic lore, it hasn’t been officially stated whichSonic Frontiersending is canon. This is likely because, either way, Sage lives according to the original Hard Mode ending of the game. Meanwhile, Gerald Robotnik repeatedly tells Shadow inGenerationsthat if he saves the Professor and Maria, he’d likely cause a huge change in the timeline to where everything that came after the Space Colony ARK tragedy would be rewritten.
One Story for Shadow Might Be Over, But a New One May Be Just Beginning
With the message ofShadow Generationsfront and center, leaving the compilation game without any additional content is the best approach Sonic Team could have taken to keep these important themes in players' minds in the same way saving Sage almost a year later was an emotional bookend toSonic Frontiers' experience. Instead, Sonic Team can keep its eyes moving forward onSonic Racing: CrossWorldsandSonic’s 35th anniversary. Rumors and vague leaks have pointed towards the next mainline title being made for this milestone, and that goal is easier to achieve withoutSonic X Shadow GenerationsDLC borrowing development time. WhileShadow Generationsmight have fans wondering what’s next for the fan-favorite hedgehog rival, Shadow’s constant presence long after the Year of Shadow suggests he’s likely not going to be far behind on the anniversary celebrations, and will likely join in on the next game. At the very least, they can look forward to racing as Shadow whenSonic Racing: CrossWorldsreleases in a few months.
