A recent Sega trademark has ignited speculation among fans about a possible remake of the 2005 3D platformer Shadow the Hedgehog or an entirely new game featuring The Ultimate Lifeform as its main character. Sega is in a favorable position right now, having just released its new kart-racer Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, which includes characters from various pop culture domains such as SpongeBob, Mega Man, Hatsune Miku, and Ichiban Kasuga from the Yakuza franchise.
Coming into 2026, Sega is set to kick things off with the releases of Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties in February.
Shadow the Hedgehog made his debut as the antagonist in Sonic Adventure 2 back in 2001 and later starred in his self-titled game for PlayStation 2 in 2005. Recently, this popular Sonic antihero has regained attention thanks to being portrayed by Hollywood star Keanu Reeves in last year’s movie Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Additionally, 2024 saw the release of Sonic X Shadow Generations, which remastered Sonic Generations while introducing the new Shadow Generations game.
Sega Files New Trademark for ‘Shadow the Hedgehog’
Sega appears poised to fully embrace Shadow, as evidenced by a newly filed trademark for a “Shadow the Hedgehog” project. Sonic news account Sonic City discovered this, noting that the trademark encompasses not just video games but also various Shadow-related merchandise, including toys, clothing, and accessories. This revelation has led many fans of Sonic and Shadow to speculate that a potential port, remake, or remaster of the 2005 Shadow the Hedgehog game may be forthcoming, as it is still exclusive to sixth-generation consoles.
If indeed Sega is planning a new Shadow project, it could signal one of two outcomes: either a revival of the 2005 Shadow the Hedgehog title or the development of a completely new Shadow game. However, Sonic Team leader Takashi Iizuka hinted earlier this year that the studio prefers creating new 3D Sonic experiences over remakes. Should this trademark lead to an all-new Shadow game, it will be intriguing to see whether it adopts a 2D or 3D format, and if it connects with the darker and more serious tones introduced in 2022’s Sonic Frontiers.
Whenever a trademark like this becomes public, it typically takes about a year before related game announcements start surfacing. With Sonic’s 35th anniversary set for 2026, fans may soon find out what this Shadow the Hedgehog trademark will yield.
