Head of Sonic Team Takashi Iizuka stopped by IGN Live this weekend to give fans a special look at what they can expect from his upcoming game Sonic x Shadow Generations. The new Sonic the Hedgehog game is an “updated remaster” of the 2011 title Sonic Generations, with new content starring the franchise’s iconic antihero Shadow the Hedgehog. Those who are eager to hear more can find the biggest headlines from Takashi’s interview right here.
Right off the bat, Iizuka playfully confirmed that the “x” in Sonic x Shadow Generations is not silent, and should be pronounced “ex”. The panel with Takashi consisted mainly of discussion on the new Shadow Generations storyline and the content it’s adding to the game. The new Shadow portion of the game will “add some more gameplay, story, foreshadow, and put him in with new stages to play and new stories to experience.” When asked exactly about how much new content is coming with the remastering, Takashi confirmed that the entirety of Sonic Generations will be in the game. As for the new Shadow expansion, he explained “don’t expect it to be as much volume as Sonic Generations, but it is a nice good chunk.” Exact details on the runtime and length of the final game were not able to be shared yet.
The Sonic Team confirmed that despite Shadow’s first appearance being the 3D-platformer Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow Generations will have both 2D and 3D gameplay, just as Sonic Generations does. Shadow will also be returning to classic boss fights and levels from his past, and will have his own new and exclusive content and experiences. Players booting up the game for the first time will be given the choice to start with the Shadow Generations or Sonic Generations storyline, as well as jump back and forth once they’ve start. The story is paralleled between the two games, as well as connected.
The full panel with Takashi Iizuka at IGN Live can be watched here. Sonic x Shadow Generations is set to release on October 25, 2024 for PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.