It goes without saying, but in our world, all it takes is one bad idea or moment to stain something or someone forever. We’ve all been there or know someone who’s been there. They make ONE MISTAKE…and that’s what everyone remembers them for. In the video game industry, entire franchises or iconic characters can be simplified to one title or decision that forever affects them. In the case of Shadow the Hedgehog, he had a legendary entrance into the franchise, but when Sega decided to give him a solo video game title that featured much darker tones and themes, things quickly went wrong.
They decided to build off his origin story from the original Dreamcast title he was in and then give him guns, a motorcycle, and apparently a deep desire to swear every other word. While that last part was toned down, the sight of Shadow with guns is now infamous, and it’s what most people remember about him.
In a chat with Video Game Chronicle, Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka stated that this wasn’t going to happen again:
“Yeah, in the games Shadow did use a gun. But when we talk about Shadow, he would use whatever he needed in the moment to get the job done. So he would pick up a gun or ride a bike in order to get the job done – he’s that kind of character. But he’s also extremely powerful on his own and doesn’t really need a gun or anything because he can do it himself – he is a weapon. So as long as there’s no need for Shadow to use a gun, he will probably not use one.”
It’s hilarious that the Sonic Team boss says that NOW, considering that the team was fine with giving him guns despite Shadow being “the ultimate lifeform” and having the power to do all kinds of things through the power of Chaos Control. More than likely, they’re still fighting to erase that game from history and are doing all they can to paint Shadow in a different light. They’ll get their chance in two different ways within the next year.
First, they’re bringing back a remastered title with Sonic, and it’ll feature brand-new levels featuring Shadow the Hedgehog. Furthermore, the upcoming third film in Sonic’s live-action franchise will drop in December, and Shadow will also be in that film.
So, if things work out, fans will have two different things to point to to showcase Shadow instead of the infamous 2005 title.
