Shades Q&A - August 2025
Hey everyone!
Summer is still going strong, and that means it’s time to move on to your questions about Shades, following the Q&A sessions for Shadow Fight 2 and 3. To be honest, we were pleasantly surprised by how many questions you sent in — way more than we expected!
So, we did our best to pick the most interesting and frequently asked ones and provide detailed answers.
This article was put together by me — Grimbago, narrative designer and writer for Shades.
Let’s dive in!
General
Q: When will Act 5 be released? And when can we expect the next major update?
A: We understand how important this question is to all Shades players, so we’ll be as transparent as possible. Unfortunately, the answer might not be the one you were hoping for: Act V is scheduled for release in 2026.
There are two main reasons for this. First, part of our team is currently involved in developing a major and important feature for Shadow Fight 2. Second, Shades is heading toward a significant shift in its meta — meaning what happens between runs — and that directly affects balance and other development details.
But that doesn’t mean we’ve put Act V on hold! The story, bosses, enemies, and locations are already in active development.
Q: Is the previously mentioned merging of inventories from all Acts into one, like in Shadow Fight 2, planned? If yes, when will it be implemented — after all Acts are released, much later, or earlier? A: Yes, this is a major update in development, and it will be completed before the release of Act V. The balance of Act V will be calculated taking this change into account.
Q: Will the Combat Meter return to the game? It’s been two years since it was removed in version 0.2.0.
A: Let’s be completely honest — we didn’t expect this feature to matter so much to players. Now that we know you’re waiting for its return, we’ve started thinking about it. But, as with everything in Shades, the Combat Meter has to carry real gameplay meaning.
So, we’ll only bring it back when we’re 100% sure it can make the gameplay more engaging and give players new ways to develop their own combat tactics.
Q: Can you share any details about the new mechanic? And when can we expect it in the game? A: First, you can already see something completely new in the upcoming event “Traces in the Sand,” launching in Shades on August 6. Second, we currently plan to add a new Shades school along with Act V.
Q: Are you planning to add a new mode, like the Underworld from the Shades storyline, or a Void mode with new bosses? Also, will there be more events featuring new allies and bosses? A: The answer to both questions is “Yes.” I think the upcoming event “Traces in the Sand” will partly satisfy your curiosity: in it, we’re adding a new ally to the game and experimenting with gameplay. Don’t forget to share your impressions in the comments afterward!
Q: Will there be events or items in the game related to other games by the studio (not from the Shadow Fight series)? A: A question back to you: what are you interested in? Fighting the Corporation’s fighters from Vector? Gaining Redline’s support as an ally? Tell us!
Q: Are there any planned changes to the core gameplay? If yes, what kind? A: Aside from what’s already been mentioned, I can say that we plan to port animations from newer parts of the series into Shades. However, this may take a lot of time, so we can’t give exact timelines yet.
Q: Will there be other types of combat besides Trials? A: We definitely plan to add new game modes.
Q: Why are there no comic arts in Act 4? A: They will appear again, don’t worry. And they will be present from the very beginning of Act V.
Q: Which bosses will appear in Act 5? If it’s a secret, can you at least give some hints? A: I think after such a long wait, you deserve to know at least something — that would be fair. One of the bosses in Act V will be Dandy.
Q: Is there a plan to rebalance bots and overall game difficulty in the future? Currently, the Easy mode is quite challenging — not only for newcomers but even for experienced SF2 veterans. Maybe lowering their stats?
A: When Shades transitions to the aforementioned act-free meta, the game balance will inevitably change. This will be a great opportunity to analyze run statistics again and make adjustments where necessary.
And, of course, we’ll fix Talaikh too.
Q: Will characters from Shadow Fight 3 and 4 appear in Shades? A: There is such a possibility. Some characters from other games have already reached an age at the time of Shades’ events where they can take part in the story or events.
Q: I’m not happy with the leveling system. Will it be changed or improved in any way? A: What exactly don’t you like? And how do you think it could be improved?
Equip, Allies and Shades
Q: When will the One-Handed Sword be added in Act II? A: The one-handed sword will definitely be added to the game — no doubt about it. We know you’ve been waiting for it, and it’s already on the way.
Q: Can you explain what Shades are and how they differ from Shadow Energy? The game doesn’t explain this — it just calls them "threads of SE," which is confusing. Also, why don’t characters from SF3 use these so-called Shades? A: The existence of Shadow Rifts, as you see them in Shades, is directly connected to the Eternals Sphere and the story of our game. You can think of Shadow Rifts as tears in space created by unstable shadow energy.
Q: Will the Shade “Storm Front” get a rework? A: We are not happy with the current state of School of Raiju. It will be reworked in the future but first we want to know if you'll like a few new Shades we're going to add soon.
Q: In the equipment, there are sets with unusual bonuses (for example, a set granting counterattacks after blocking) that create new action sequences and tactics. Will similar abilities appear in other games of the series? A: We can’t answer questions related to other games in the series, but the game design philosophy of Shades will continue to evolve in that direction: we want item traits to give players the ability to customize their gear to their playstyle and to interact interestingly with Shades.
Q: Will there be an update to the forge and new mechanics added, including an item recycling system? A: As we mentioned in response to another question, we’re reworking the Shades meta. Part of this overhaul includes changing the item upgrade and fusion system.
Q: How many allies will there be in total? If by the end there are more than 15, the regular cranes might not be enough to obtain allies of Leg+++ level — is there a plan to address this issue in the future? A: We plan to add more allies to the game, and we have ideas on how to ensure dedicated players can collect as many of them as possible. It’s in our interest to encourage you to try different allies and experiment with combat tactics!
Q: Why hasn’t there been a single Ally Event all year, not even repeat ones for regular allies like May and Sly? A: You will be able to get a new ally in the upcoming event “Traces in the Sand,” which launches next week!
Q: THE TITAN'S SWORD WHEN?
A: WHEN TITAN.
P.S. Seriously though, first expect the arrival of other cool weapon types from SF2. There’s still a lot missing in Shades. When everything’s here, then maybe we’ll consider it.
Story
Q: Why did Shadow have the Eternals Sphere (or whatever it is) in the very first Shades comic? Wasn’t it destroyed or split into many fragments at the end of Shadow Fight 2? A: No. The player receives the Eternals Sphere after defeating Titan, and at that point, it’s completely intact..
Q: Is there any chance we’ll encounter any associate or remnant of Titan again? A: Titan conquered many worlds, and Shadow Rifts can lead to other worlds — so it wouldn’t be entirely accurate to say it’s impossible.
Q: Can we get the backstory of Shadow — how he became an invincible warrior? A: A training Story for Shadow? Sounds interesting! We’ll definitely consider it — especially if more and more players keep asking for it.
Q: Will we find out what happened to magic and how (and why) it was replaced by shadow energy? A: Yes, but a bit later. Right now, we are focused on other details of the story.
Q: Will we be able to explore the Shadow World again? And what happened to it? That place is very interesting. A: Shadow Rifts are mysterious and they lead to difefrent worlds. Shadow has already visited Shadow World during Shades story and there's a possibility that it'll happen again.
Q: As we know, the multiverse in Shadow Fight is vast — but how vast exactly? Is it infinite or finite? If it’s infinite, it opens endless possibilities for the game. For example, could there be an all-out multiversal war? Is there a chance we might see such a war in the future, where Shadows from different universes fight each other? A: To be honest, this question is a bit unclear. From an empirical standpoint, there’s no real difference between an incredibly large number and infinity (like with stars in our universe, for example!). As for a multiversal war of Shadows—that sounds like an interesting idea for an event at the very least!
Q: How many shards of the Eternals Sphere are there in total? A: At the moment, Shadow and his team know about four allies—and that’s not all of them.
Q: When did Shadow and Kanade meet? If they haven’t met, how is she his ally? A: For now, you can consider this a game convention. Whether they will meet in the future and become allies — who knows! Better tell us how you imagine their possible interaction.
Q: Did the Shogun survive after the Sensei drained all his power? How will this affect him in the future? A: We know this plot twist shocked many players, and you’re curious about what happened to the Shogun. We can’t answer that just yet, but rest assured—you will learn about his fate.
Q: What is the name of the world Talaikh comes from? A: Maybe Talaikh will tell the story himself, if we meet again?
Q: Where did Nebiri come from, and where was he before Wasp became the Pirate Queen? A: He was simply a successful pirate captain causing chaos without meddling in land affairs. Perhaps if it weren’t for the Shards, we might never have even known about his existence!
Q: Why has Grandmother Sakura lived for so long? A: Maybe she has a magical ring that she obtained during a journey to a distant mountain many years ago.
Q: Why is Shin still the weakest member of the Assassin's Order after all these years? A: Less than a year has passed between the events of SF2 and Shades. And is Shin really the weakest? He at least did everything he could to become stronger!
Q: Will characters from Old Wounds return later in the story? Are there any existing concepts for the final boss—such as their powers and narrative significance? A: Characters from the "Old Wounds" might very well appear if there’s a place for them in the main story or events.
Q: If the Sphere of the Immortals can open Shadow Rifts to other worlds—rifts that ordinary people can pass through—then why didn’t the Titan use a complete Sphere for this purpose? What was holding him back? A: We might learn the answer to this question in future acts of Shades.
Q: In the duel called Flame of Obsession, where the opponent is the Outcast, a tribe that worships fire and lives beyond the sea is mentioned. Is this tribe the future Legion? A: Yes.
Q: What is the hierarchy within the Shadow Realm? A: If the story leads Shadow to the Shadow World, he will definitely find out about it.
Q: Nebiri mentioned that he is an Admiral. If that's true, then of what fleet—or what kind of forces—and under whose command? A: Nebiri commands a fleet of pirate ships, so he decided to call himself Admiral. After all, if he’s the fiercest pirate around, who’s going to stop him?
Q: When the Sensei took someone else’s power, he can be encountered in two variations: fiery, poisonous, and formidable, or lightning-fast. Is there any connection here to how the character Mnemos from SF3 switched between three energies during battle? A: No.
Q: What secrets of ancient magic did the Hermit know? A: Students line up to learn even a fraction of his knowledge, and you expect us to just spill everything to you? No way!
Q: The Corsair, Guru, and Sensei all easily obtained and used a Shard of the Eternals Sphere. So why did Assassin have to search for their Shard in the Trembling Isles—and even compete with local pirates for its possession? A: The answer to this question is in the story of Act IV, but let’s answer it here too — why not? Assassin was buried under the rubble of Titan’s Citadel and couldn’t reach his shard. Because of the same events, he lost his hand: even the strongest fighters can’t easily survive such catastrophes.
Q: Will there be references—or even direct appearances—of the early Legion, the tribes of the future Dynasty, in Shades? A: Actually, there already are some. But there will definitely be more to come.
Thank you very much for your questions!
For various reasons, we couldn’t answer them all, but we hope we shed light on the most important topics. We tried to be as honest and open as possible in our answers and hope for your continued support.
Stay tuned!
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