By Sagar V. Mankar New rumors suggest a Sonic Generations remaster featuring Shadow may be announced at the upcoming PlayStation State of Play event.
Sonic the Hedgehog is riding high lately, with successful movies, shows, and games galore.
Now rumors suggest a remaster of the beloved 2011 platformer Sonic Generations could be Sega’s next Sonic project.
Here’s why fans think an enhanced version may get announced soon.
Reading Between the Lines of the Steam Sale
While Sega hasn’t officially confirmed anything, several signs point to a Sonic Generations remaster happening:
The original Sonic Generations is mysteriously absent from Steam’s recent major Sonic sale.
Almost every major Sonic game from the past 15 years is discounted in the sale – except Generations.
Fans think Sega won’t want to discount the original right before releasing a new version.
Also, the cryptic tweet by industry insider Nick Baker hyped the situation by hinting at reveals in the State of Play:
“Sonic will live in the shadow of his generation…”
Fans theorize this points to Generation’s content, with “shadow” being a reference to Shadow the Hedgehog.
He was not in the original Generations but some rumors suggest he could be added to a remaster.
Announcement Coming Soon?
There are rumors that a Generations remaster will be revealed at an upcoming Playstation’s State of Play presentation.
This lines up with Sega’s wanting to promote Sonic heavily in 2024 alongside new movie and TV content.
The Sonic movie sequel arrives in December 2024, the Knuckles show is in production, and the games keep coming like 2021’s Sonic Colors Ultimate and 2022’s Sonic Frontiers.
Sega will want to maximize interest in the franchise leading up to the new movie.
A remaster of a beloved game like Generations would certainly help keep the momentum going.
Sonic Colors received a remaster in 2021, proving Sega is willing to revisit the boost formula Sonic games of the late 2000s/early 2010s.
Sonic Generations is a prime candidate for similar treatment.
What Could A Remaster Include?
As a celebration of Sonic’s history, Sonic Generations featured levels and gameplay inspired by both classic 2D Sonic and modern 3D entries.
A remaster could enhance the graphics, resolution, frame rate, and textures to take advantage of modern hardware.
Potential new features could include:
- Ray tracing support
- New lighting and particle effects
- Added gameplay modes/challenges
- Online leaderboards and replay sharing
- Shadow as a playable character with Modern Tails or Silver
- Improved UI and HUD
- Additional level geometry and details
- Refined controls and physics
Sega would be smart to keep the stellar level design intact while giving the visuals and extra content a boost.
Why Generations Deserves Another Spotlight
Sonic Generations stands as one of the best modern Sonic games.
It was praised for blending the old and new eras of Sonic into one package filled with precise platforming.
Seeing Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant brought into stunning HD 3D was a joy for longtime Sonic fans.
Meanwhile, the 2D remixes of levels offered tight, inventive takes on new and classic stages alike.
plus, the story was heartfelt and nostalgic, dealing with Sonic’s memories and importance as a character across generations.
A fresh coat of paint would only enhance those strengths.
Will The Remaster Become Reality?
Of course, the Sonic Generations remaster could turn out to be only rumors and speculation.
But the evidence is convincing, and the game would be a perfect fit for re-release.
If Sega wants to keep the Sonic hype train rolling, refreshing a classic like Generations to highlight at an upcoming showcase makes perfect sense.
Sega might announce a Generations remaster at the upcoming State of Play on January 31.
We may know for sure very soon!