*(My Thoughts On The Scrapped Shadow Franchise)*

[Chris Knopps]

One of the most debatable topics within the Sonic franchise actually doesn't relate to the blue blur having a starring role at all, but rather the dark dasher Shadow himself. In my opinion, I think SEGA should have continued releasing more games featuring him, giving Shadow his own franchise for fans to enjoy.

With the Sonic franchise being more for the youth, I feel as though the direction it has taken from 08-now would have been much better had we actually been able to enjoy a series like Shadow alongside it, where many could have gotten their fix on story depth and something more mature whenever they liked via the newest Shadow title.

The issue is, complaints revolved around it not being like the rest of the Sonic franchise, not being what fans expected of it. However the game really wasn't meant for your usual Sonic fan and was created as a means of giving the Sonic franchise more for people to enjoy, something to draw in a new, more varied audience, something BOOM has gone for, yet at the end of the day has only needlessly pushed for an extreme attempt at targeting more of the same audience Sonic always had in the first place.

Despite the heavily mixed reviews of the game, some near the highest score possible while others remained low as can be, it was by and large a commercial success, reaching the half way point to two million sales in its time, with an additional over 400,000 copies sold when it received a greatest hits edition. I've always wondered what could of become of a Shadow the Hedgehog franchise, the places we could have gone, the characters we could have met, and what Shadow could have done for us where Sonic hadn't, and still hasn't to this day out of not being able to throw him in a direction they could with Shadow.

SEGA really missed out on a golden opportunity to draw in teens and adults with a Shadow franchise in my opinion. If we had said franchise today, the Sonic franchise might not be suffering the criticisms it faces now because everyone could of had Shadow as their go-to alternative for an action packed, story engrossing, all around bad @@@ franchise whenever the need for something... More was felt.

Sonic could have been the wise cracking blue blur and Shadow could have been your dark agent of danger, but sadly due to the companies focus on pleasing the minorities and critiques above the market/consumers as a whole at the time, that is a reality we'll likely never know.

(Especially now that "ow the edge" exists... Agh...)

Seriously, this franchise needs to branch out, it needs to grow, because all of this "roots" suffocation and trimming down to the trunk itself is killing the tree altogether now. Seriously, how do you cancel all plans for future Shadow titles after extraordinary sales just because of mixed reviews, THEN continue something like BOOM after the poorest sales in console history AND scathing reviews/remarks from critics and by and large fans?

I mean yeah, "the cartoon" and all, and I'm a fan of the DASH 2 app granted, but I ask you, where's the sense?

People often go after the games convoluted story more-so than anything, save for the weapon system integration, but the sole purpose of Shadow felt as though to wrap everything up from previous titles so the next game could have had your usual linear story, and revolving control issues and tone imbalance, just as with the Sonic franchise these are all things that had the potential to be built off of and improved upon

I have, and always will, find it a shame we never got a franchise based on Shadow the Hedgehog, because at least THEN it would have made sense calling it a different experience than what we already had existing because of how actually different it was, especially in comparison with Sonic titles of today. For those seeking an alternative, Shadow could have been it.

[FriendBot]

I don't necessarily think Shadow should have his own franchise but it would be nice of Sonic Team to make games based on the other characters. Like a game based on Team Dark and how they evolved as characters and friends since the last time we've seen them, or a game based on the Chaotix with a super quirky and satirical mystery story and many others.

But I guess only time can tell, but Boom could be a starting point for such branches. As long as the show is successful, which has been the case during its season run, SEGA will continue to make games to capitalize on it, whether those games will be actually good is a different matter. 

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

Eh, leave Shadow alone. Shadow has already outgrown his potential to where he has been butchered and now this mess of his appearance in Sonic Boom where he only appears because hes popular, for so instant success, add Shadow.  I dont see the point to him anymore even staying in the main canon let alone getting his own franchise. He found the truth and served his purposed while having his character derailed and quite honestly its requests like "Shadow needs his own franchise" thats only going to make him a even worse character then he already is currently. Seriously, just let him live in peace. 

[Chris Knopps]

Thing is Sonic BOOM is exactly the same as the main franchise, a comedy driven, light hearted trek from start to finish, only BOOM emphasizes this to the N'th degree. Shadow actually makes more sense as a new franchise compared to BOOM because it did more to make itself unique.

They made a new franchise just so they could do a few redesigns and nothing more, everything else is exactly the same as what we've already had, and that's why I began pondering the whole Shadow franchise and what it could have offered instead.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Shadow is completely the opposite of what Sonic should be and in no way should it be a direction for Sonic Team to go in.

In fact the only reason it exists is because Sonic Team wanted to try and cash in on the western market for shooters at the time. Iizuka is on record (somewhere) for saying that the Japanese side of Sega noticed the success of games like Call Of Duty were having with teenagers and they wanted to make a game which appealed to that kind of culture.

Well that's nice. But it's also broken logic and reasoning. 

You have a franchise like Sonic.

Then you have Shadows game... full of death, guns, aliens, explosions, killing, killing, more killing, more death, explosions, more explosions! Appealing to people who like that kind of thing...

Now explain why those people would suddenly be into Sonic?

[Sonictrainer]

24 minutes ago, Chris Knopps said:

I have, and always will, find it a shame we never got a franchise based on Shadow the Hedgehog, because at least THEN it would have made sense calling it a different experience than what we already had existing because of how actually different it was, especially in comparison with Sonic titles of today. For those seeking an alternative, Shadow could have been it.

Back in the year 2005, I had just gotten Sonic Rush and Shadow the Hedgehog.

After completing Sonic Rush, I was ready to see what Shadow the Hedgehog had to offer....

...and I was very thrown off...

The cursing, the Team Chaotix style level structure, the camera screwing me over, playing the game multiple times to get a true ending... it feels like the game was a combination of every complaint for every Sonic game combined into 1.

IMO, this game feels like something that should have been used for a new character franchise entirely and been separate from Sonic's Universe.

[JezMM]

Shadow the Hedgehog is a game I like to play, but it's intentions, and performance of those intentions, were utterlly, utterly embarrassing as a standalone game, let alone basing a series on them.  The story was awful, the badassery was trying too hard based on cliché stereotypes of what a "cool" hero is.  There was nothing original, no unique hook to make branching out into a new spin-off series a justified idea.

I've also never liked the idea of a spin-off series with a totally different tone "filling in" for something the main series is supposedly lacking.  Spin-offs should compliment the main games, not make up for shortcomings.

 

25 minutes ago, Chris Knopps said:

(Especially now that "ow the edge" exists... Agh...)

Here's the thing, the Shadow the Hedgehog game is the cause of that meme.  It is the epitome of it.  The meme defines the game.  How is this game any sort of starting point?

[Chris Knopps]

4 minutes ago, Hogfather said:

Shadow is completely the opposite of what Sonic should be and in no way should it be a direction for Sonic Team to go in.

Now explain why those people would suddenly be into Sonic?

That is the point of Shadow having his own franchise. Shadow is completely different, therefore his games would have no reflection on Sonic's franchise, that argument is pointless.

And people wouldn't have to be into Sonic as a result, being into the Shadow franchise in itself is enough and worth profiting off of.

[Diogenes]

1 minute ago, Chris Knopps said:

That is the point of Shadow having his own franchise. Shadow is completely different, therefore his games would have no reflection on Sonic's franchise, that argument is pointless.

And people wouldn't have to be into Sonic as a result, being into the Shadow franchise in itself is enough and worth profiting off of.

Shadow is just edgy Sonic anyway. You still run into the same problems of the absurdity of a 3 foot tall cartoon hedgehog trying to be gritty and badass. It just doesn't work.

[FriendBot]

That's a pretty dumb thing to do tbh, Shadow is still a character from the Sonic franchise and one of the more recognizable ones. So even if you do make a separate franchise, it would still be considered a branch of the Sonic franchise kinda like Boom. But atleast Boom has the creative freedom to do what it wants since it's different universe with its own lore and characters.

Shadow is just an expansion of the main series and just to make a game of the same caliber of his own game, yeah you're gonna have a bad time.

[Chris Knopps]

1 minute ago, Soni said:

That's a pretty dumb thing to do tbh, Shadow is still a character from the Sonic franchise and one of the more recognizable ones. So even if you do make a separate franchise, it would still be considered a branch of the Sonic franchise kinda like Boom. But atleast Boom has the creative freedom to do what it wants since it's different universe with its own lore and characters.

Shadow is just an expansion of the main series and just to make a game of the same caliber of his own game, yeah you're gonna have a bad time.

Lore and BOOM have no relation my friend, whatsoever.

The thing is with BOOM there is no desire to explore anything asides what is already set, and that's not much sadly. From the very introduction of the franchise they have treated it as though it has existed since Sonic began and that is not the case, yet they ignored this during its development in all areas, the games, comics, and cartoon.

Creative and BOOM also have no relation, but that is my personal opinion. Again, it merely exists for the sake of new designs and heavier persistence on comedy.

If we're going to have another franchise coexisting, I need a reason for it to, otherwise it's unnecessary.

[Idon'tcare]

With my vast hatred of Shadow the hedgehog and all Shadumb game related things I can safely say, "no thank you sir, I don't want another one."

1 minute ago, Diogenes said:

Shadow is just edgy Sonic anyway. You still run into the same problems of the absurdity of a 3 foot tall cartoon hedgehog trying to be gritty and badass. It just doesn't work.

At least with Sonic you don't get the gun slinging, bike riding and cursing issues from a 3 foot tall cartoon character.

Seriously, why was it necessary for Shadow to start waving around guns at all.

[FriendBot]

Well I see how Boom can just be a comedy be a bad thing, really since Sonic as cartoon character is just as valid as Sonic as an action character.

[Diogenes]

3 minutes ago, Chris Knopps said:

If we're going to have another franchise coexisting, I need a reason for it to, otherwise it's unnecessary.

I would say we probably shouldn't have another branch of the franchise, but even if we were going to, I don't think "I want a Mickey Mouse that swears!" is sufficient reason for one.

[Chris Knopps]

Just now, Diogenes said:

I would say we probably shouldn't have another branch of the franchise, but even if we were going to, I don't think "I want a Mickey Mouse that swears!" is sufficient reason for one.

At this point I agree in regards to both the main series and BOOM being exactly one in the same save for design differences.

As far as everyone using the "cartoon character" argument, please give that one a rest, it's as unoriginal in a Sonic argument as you can get and I'm not wasting my time with it.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

3 minutes ago, Diogenes said:

I would say we probably shouldn't have another branch of the franchise, but even if we were going to, I don't think "I want a Mickey Mouse that swears!" is sufficient reason for one.

Of "the character is popular!11 bring him back!" shouldnt really be a good enough reason either.

[Chris Knopps]

Just now, Mikyeong said:

Of "the character is popular!11 bring him back!" shouldnt really be a good enough reason either.

Demand IS a reason, but the implementation is always the issue.

Implementation is a reason why I think Shadow should of carried on as his own franchise as well, due to only having a single chance and none whatsoever afterwards to improve itself.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

1 minute ago, Chris Knopps said:

Demand IS a reason, but the implementation is always the issue.

Implementation is a reason why I think Shadow should of carried on as his own franchise as well, due to only having a single chance and none whatsoever afterwards to improve itself.

Yeah but demand was part of the reason Shadow's character got derailed in his game on. Especially in Free Riders and dont get me started on Boom ugh. 

Even if a character was popular, if they were made to be killed off from the start, they should learn to let go. 

[Diogenes]

2 minutes ago, Chris Knopps said:

As far as everyone using the "cartoon character" argument, please give that one a rest, it's as unoriginal in a Sonic argument as you can get and I'm not wasting my time with it.

It's only unoriginal because it keeps having to be made.

I swear I will never understand what drives some people to twist this series into exactly what it gets mocked as being.

1 minute ago, Chris Knopps said:

Implementation is a reason why I think Shadow should of carried on as his own franchise as well, due to only having a single chance and none whatsoever afterwards to improve itself.

There's not much you can do to improve something that's as intellectually and creatively bankrupt at its core as ShtH.

[Chris Knopps]

Just now, Mikyeong said:

Yeah but demand was part of the reason Shadow's character got derailed in his game on. Especially in Free Riders and dont get me started on Boom ugh. 

Even if a character was popular, if they were made to be killed off from the start, they should learn to let go. 

Again, it was the implementation that was the issue, not the demand. Demand good, implementation bad.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

Just now, Chris Knopps said:

Again, it was the implementation that was the issue, not the demand. Demand good, implementation bad.

The thing is you cannot simply give into demand. Yes implementation was a problem but demand played a role in this to. People were stamping there feet because Shadow died so they brought him back in heroes and made his story even more confusing and with more plotholes and ShTH was a result of the constant demand for Shadow to have his own game along with want Sonic to have a gun. 

Demand is the current reason why Shadow keeps popping up lately. Boom!Eggman said it best "hes only the second most popular character in the whole canon!". He personality now his popularity. 

[Gabz Girl]

Shadow the Hedgehog was a horrible Sonic game (with surprisingly good gunplay, but still!) so no I don't want to see more Shadow games. It just...doesn't work, even with such an EDGY COOL character like Shadow. 

Don't even get me started on Boom!Shadow. An asshole like him doesn't deserve a game either. =P

[Chris Knopps]

1 minute ago, Mikyeong said:

The thing is you cannot simply give into demand. Yes implementation was a problem but demand played a role in this to. People were stamping there feet because Shadow died so they brought him back in heroes and made his story even more confusing and with more plotholes and ShTH was a result of the constant demand for Shadow to have his own game along with want Sonic to have a gun. 

Demand is the current reason why Shadow keeps popping up lately. Boom!Eggman said it best "hes only the second most popular character in the whole canon!". He personality now his popularity. 

Not all the time no otherwise everything would always be out of whack. But again it all has to do with implementation, there is nobody to blame but the company for that, everybody having demands is good, but how the company chooses to implement them and when is the problem.

[FriendBot]

So if there's demand for a Big the Cat fishing game should Sonic Team just make it because hey, there's demand for it. 

I don't think demand is as simple as you're making it out to be.

[PandoloFox]

I have always been all for the sonic cast getting their own spin-off titles. Even toyed with the idea of a knuckles game. I mean why not, if you are going to expand your franchise, branching out with new kind of Ips for the same franchise is ideal. But i would wait until Sonic is more popular and liked, cause as it stands i dont think its affordable to do this.

And for the people saying that Shadow was totaly different, well so is boom. Shadow the hedgehog could certainly see some improvements since the game definately need some. but i wouldnt mind that kind of spin-off if it was handled correctly.