Shenmue
Latest
'Shenmue 3' creator explains how Sony is helping out
When the word got out that Shenmue 3 was getting financial help from Sony, not just E3 stage time, some gamers understandably flipped out. Were Yu Suzuki and crew duping fans into supporting a big-budget sequel in the guise of a crowdfunded indie title? Well, you can relax a little -- Suzuki has come clean and explained to backers just how Sony and partner Shibuya Productions are involved. On top of an apology for misleading supporters, the developer notes that Sony and Shibuya are helping out with marketing, production and (in Sony's case) "some publishing." While he can't talk about the terms, he's adamant that your money is going directly to Shenmue's development. The other companies are "not seeing a cent" of your pledge, Suzuki says.
'Shenmue 3' quickly smashes $2 million Kickstarter goal
The long-awaited sequel to the iconic Dreamcast franchise Shenmue is really happening. Shenmue 3, unveiled by series visionary Yu Suzuki at Sony's E3 press conference, has already hit $2 million on Kickstarter. It's almost certainly a crowdfunding record, and means fans will get to play as Ryo once more on their PS4 and PC. Given that Sega doesn't have an E3 booth this year, the game's revival is certainly a shock to fans. The original titles were cult classics on Sega's last console, but many assumed the publisher had given up on a third entry. The company is a little busy developing Sonic and Angry Birds crossover games for mobile, after all. That's why it wasn't surprising to hear that in order to fund a third entry, the Shenmue team is striking out on its own. The Kickstarter campaign is essentially an open challenge to fans: You say you've always wanted this game, now prove it.
'Shenmue III' will come to PC and PS4 with your help
Apparently, the running theme of Sony's E3 event is "long-sought follow-ups to classic games." Famed developer Yu Suzuki has revealed that he's crowdfunding Shenmue III, the sequel to a much-admired action role-playing series that many thought had ended back in 2001 -- or 2002, if you got the Xbox version of Shenmue II. The open-world title will pick up Ryo's adventure where it left off, with a visit to China to hunt down his father's murderer. It'll be available on both the PC and PlayStation 4 if all goes well, and there are promises of new fighting mechanics in addition to familiar elements.
'Shenmue' and 'Streets of Rage' tunes are headed to vinyl
When it comes to classic Sega games, they don't get much bigger (or better) than Shenmue and Streets of Rage. They were released more than eight years apart and on completely different consoles, but they share an important trait: incredible sound. Now, as Polygon reports, a London-based record label called Data Discs is planning to release both soundtracks on vinyl later this year. They'll be priced at £19.99 (roughly $31) and pressed on 180 gram vinyl, complete with lithographic artwork prints. The company is also working with Streets of Rage composer Yuzo Koshiro to remaster the tunes from the side-scrolling beat 'em up, ensuring fans get the best experience possible on their turntables. Pre-orders start on May 30th and there are "exclusive editions" for those who spend their cash early, however the first wave of records isn't expected to leave the warehouse until September.
Yu Suzuki 'researching,' but not committed to Shenmue 3 Kickstarter
Famed producer Yu Suzuki might turn to Kickstarter to fund Shenmue 3, though the emphasis here is on the word "might." According to a Eurogamer interview, Suzuki is "researching" the idea of a Shenmue 3 Kickstarter. The designer refuses to commit to anything, but did state that he would like to work on the long-awaited sequel given the "right opportunity." As Eurogamer points out, the first two Shenmue games cost Sega over $70 million to develop, though Suzuki wouldn't specify how much money he'd need to raise to fund a third game in the series. Though this news may set fans' hearts racing with even the slightest glimmer of hope that Shenmue 3 is in the works, we caution you not to hold your collective breath. This is not the first time Suzuki has mentioned interest in crowdfunding, and even if Suzuki does opt to go the Kickstarter route, it will likely be a while before he gets around to it. Though he wouldn't divulge details, Suzuki is currently occupied with a different, non-Shenmue development project. [Image: Wikimedia Commons]
Shenmue development bugs included cats walking like people and empty streets
Shenmue was an ambitious game for its time, incorporating a massive open world, environments full of people and activity and a complex combat system, all of which was delivered using state of the art graphics. It was a huge project and, as director Yu Suzuki revealed during the Shenmue postmortem panel at GDC 2014, it wasn't without some bizarre development bugs. In fact, up to 300 were found every day, according to Suzuki. Without some form of compression, said Suzuki (through interpreter Mark Cerny), all of the content in Shenmue would have required 50-60 CD-ROMs. As that would have been ... prohibitive to the average consumer, the Shenmue team had to come up with ways to save space, though this sometimes created unexpected results. Like cats walking on two legs.
Sega confirms 'Shenmue 3' trademark is fake
Are you a fan of the Shenmue series that would love to play a new installment in the series? Well, run to your room, dig out your Dreamcast (or Xbox) and replay the existing installments at an obnoxious volume, because Sega has stopped by to deliver the news that no one wants to hear. A recent trademark listing for a "Shenmue 3" was fake and not at all affiliated with Sega, the publisher told Eurogamer. The representative stated that Sega is "looking into the origins of this application," but in the mean time, the listing filed with the Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market has already disappeared. As if people on the Internet enjoy the dismay of others, rumors of HD ports of the first two Shenmue games for XBLA and PSN popped up last year as well. We're starting to wonder if Shenmue fans can even react to news like this anymore, or if the years of disappointment have left them completely stoic.
First4Figures unveils statuette of Shenmue's Ryo Hazuki
Ryo Hazuki, protagonist of Sega's Shenmue series, is being adapted into a statue that captures the full emotional range of the character – by which we mean it is completely devoid of emotion. Ryo Hazuki is the first in the Sega All Stars range from premium collectibles maker First4Figures. The one-foot-tall representation of the martial arts student/occasional dock worker comes in two variants: a $170 regular edition and a $185 "Exclusive" version with a base modeled after the sought-after "Phoenix Mirror" relic from the game. The figures are up for pre-order, due to ship in Q4. Just think, boxes of these will be moved in and out of warehouses by forklift.%Gallery-187299%
Yu Suzuki thinking about crowdfunding for Shenmue 3
Shenmue 3 is sort of becoming a possibility again, just in time to make sure that wound will never, ever heal. During the MAGS (Monaco Anime Game Show) over the weekend, Sega legend Yu Suzuki told journalist Sebastien-Abdelhamid that he is considering Kickstarter-style crowdfunding for the long-lost project. With the budget for the first two games somewhere in the $70 million area, that could be one ambitious Kickstarter.Suzuki also said (more realistically) that he wants to continue the Shenmue storyline in an anime or manga. In either case, he'd need to obtain rights to his own license from Sega, something he has discussed in the past. The odd racing game cameo aside, Sega's not doing anything with it.
Dress like the Jet Set with new Sega clothing line
Whether you're spray-painting police officers in Shibuya-cho or bundling up for a Sakuragaoka afternoon of investigating what happened on the day the snow turned into rain, UK-based Insert Coin Clothing has styles to suit you.The company's "Sega Reloaded" line features authentic recreations of both Beat and Gum's t-shirts from Jet Set Radio (which amusingly bear the characters' own names), and both shirts and hoodies based on the tiger-adorned leather jacket worn by Shenmue's Ryo Hazuki. Other Sega designs reference Shinobi, Streets of Rage, Golden Axe and Sonic.Another upcoming offering by the company is inspired by Sega even more literally, complete with bags matching the approximate shape and appearance of Dreamcast and Mega Drive consoles.
Yu Suzuki's new game is fun to say: Gan! Gan! Pirates
Yu Suzuki, the man behind the Shenmue series, is working on a new title called Gan! Gan! Pirates. Gan! Gan! Pirates is a mobile, social, arcade-style shooter with touch controls taking the place of bright orange, plastic guns, Andriasang translates from a Famitsu feature.Suzuki's new title is free-to-play and features co-op and competitive play; it's set to launch on iOS and Android in September.
Rumor: Shenmue 1 and 2 HD finished, hitting XBLA/PSN
All right, before we go any further than that headline up there, we want everyone playing along at home to go to the kitchen and bring back one of those big cardboard cylinders of Morton's salt with the little metal flap on top.Got it? Okay great, because you're going to need more than a grain for this one: HD versions of Shenmue 1 and 2 have been completed for more than a year and are pending release on XBLA and PSN, according to an anonymous source reporting to Gamerzines. The source goes on to say that Sega has been sitting on the remakes while it decides the fate of a potential Shenmue 3, though the source did not specify what that fate is.Look, we're not saying that it isn't true, or that we don't want HD remakes of two of our favorite games ever, because of course we do. We just want you to be careful and not get your precious little hopes up, only to have them dashed to pieces -- your broken, mangled hearts never able to trust or love again.
The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The highlights
The Dreamcast was a brief but shining aberration in the gaming world. Coming along years after Sega had fallen out of its position as a top-runner in the console market, it represented the company's big attempt to reclaim its former glory. While it failed to succeed in that respect and ultimately closed up shop in 2001 (ending Sega's interest in the console market), the Dreamcast became a gaming cult favorite responsible for some of the most innovative titles ever made. Games like Jet Grind Radio, Space Channel 5, and Shenmue have remained fan favorites long after the Dreamcast's demise, which shows the legacy that these dev teams left behind. But perhaps the Dreamcast's greatest gift to the gaming world wasn't crazy taxis or space dancing but a surprisingly forward-looking approach to online gaming. In 2000, the Dreamcast took the first steps to bringing an online console RPG to market, and while it wasn't a true MMO, it certainly paved the way for titles like EverQuest Online Adventures and Final Fantasy XI. It was bold, it was addictive, and it was gosh-darned gorgeous. Ladies and gentlemen: Phantasy Star Online.
Yu Suzuki expresses interest in obtaining Shenmue license from Sega
Get your grains of salt ready, we're about to report on the potential release of another Shenmue title. Speaking to French fan site Shenmue Master at the Toulouse Games Show (not to be confused with the other TGS), Shenmue maestro Yu Suzuki expressed possible interest in obtaining the Shenmue license from Sega. When asked exactly who owns the license, Suzuki responded that the license currently belongs to Sega. That said, he added that "we can obtain the license from Sega," presumably speaking on behalf of his company, YS Net. Of course, that's not a direct confirmation that YS Net is actually pursuing such a transaction. Even if it is, there's no guarantee the license would be used for a true Shenmue sequel anyway. After all, the last Shenmue project turned out be a (recently shuttered) social game. See the English translation of the interview after the break (skip to 9:40 for the question regarding Shenmue's license).
Yu Suzuki leaving management role at Sega in September
Yu Suzuki, the living embodiment of all your favorite Sega memories, revealed in a Gamasutra interview that he is leaving his management position within the company's AM2 studio in September, though he'll remain at Sega as an advisor. He's actually been working at his own company, YS Net, since 2008, in conjunction with his continued employment at Sega. After dropping the news of his departure, he discussed some of his previous works -- including the unreleased MMO, Shenmue Online. Suzuki described his concept for the game as "a town that players create as they enter the game and play it -- something like a multi-CPU system, with each player serving as a CPU." One player, then, would handle important drunk-Santa computations, while another would act as the hot-dog vending core.
Mega64 and Yu Suzuki reveal Shenmue's conclusion at last
During his GDC panel, Yu Suzuki dropped the world-changing news that he might possibly, maybe, be able to make a third Shenmue game, if he can find the money. But in case this rock-solid guarantee doesn't go through, Mega64 cornered Suzuki and asked him to outline the end of the story, in order to provide us the closure we've craved since 2001. We don't want to spoil the ending of Ryo Hazuki's saga ourselves, so we'll just tell you to go past the break and let Suzuki tell the story of the vengeance-obsessed teen's trans-Pacific ride on a levitating sword, with live-action performances of key scenes by Mega64 and a special guest. Perhaps we've already said too much. It'll be entirely our fault if the story lacks dramatic impact.
Yu Suzuki: 'I think Sega's going to let me' make Shenmue 3
During his GDC 2011 panel, Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki said "I think Sega will let me make it," referring to the long-awaited Shenmue 3. However, it's not a guarantee. He couched the discussion by saying it's contingent on budget issues -- by the way, Suzuki said that Shenmue cost $47 million to make, not the patently ridiculous $70 million Sega quoted -- and that he basically could only be sure that 200 people (the people in the room) would buy it. So it probably won't amount to anything. But Yu Suzuki just sustained our hopes of continued Shenmue regardless.
Yu Suzuki discusses concept for Shenmue 3
James Mielke, formerly of 1UP, tracked down Sega legend Yu Suzuki for an interview, during which Suzuki revealed one of his ideas for the design of Shenmue 3 -- which, just to keep you from getting your hopes up, is still totally not happening. But it sounds interesting! But it's not happening. "Shenmue 3 doesn't expand outward, but inward," Suzuki said, contrasting the expansive worlds of the original games with an emphasis on deeper interaction with the main characters, Ryo Hazuki and Shenhua. In the examples he gave, which were "not actually in the game," your choice of tea or coffee, or answers to hypothetical questions, would affect your relationship with in-game characters. The rest of the two-part interview discusses Suzuki's past creating novel arcade games like Hang-On, the acquisition of 3D technology from Lockheed to develop Virtua Fighter and Virtua Racing, and the long-lost touchscreen arcade game Psy-Phi. "I think it would be good to make it for Kinect," Suzuki mused. "Yeah, maybe I'll make that my next project, although, I should probably make the game a little simpler for the Kinect audience."
Shenmue Town is a 'side story,' made by Yu Suzuki's new company
Here's a thought experiment. Would it be worse if: Yu Suzuki's Shenmue story continued, but in the form of a mobile game that none of us will ever play, or a new (mobile, Japanese) Shenmue game was made by Suzuki, and didn't continue the story? Both of those are kind of hellish -- the first means that we'd only be able to catch up with our pal Ryo through online summaries by fans, while the second would mean that the Shenmue story was being drawn out even more without reaching any kind of resolution. Shenmue Town, the Japan-only mobile game announced last month, will be a "side story" to the Shenmue games, developed by Yu Suzuki's Ys Net and managed by Sunsoft. So Suzuki finally figured out a way to make more Shenmue ... and it's a "side story." There are still few details about the game: Andriasang reports that you'll start in Yokusuka, setting for the first Dreamcast game, as Ryo Hazuki. Art on the official site is all Dreamcast-era character art, with a note that "Shenmue returns" and an invitation to "Come back this winter."
Yahoo Japan establishes Shenmue Town, which is where we want to live now
Yahoo Japan and social cell phone game developer Mobagetown recently partnered up to help strengthen the latter's projects. Now called Yahoo Mobage, the company recently outlined its plans for a new web portal for social games, including Persona 3 Social, a new Nobunaga's Ambition title from Tecmo Koei and, arguably the most exciting game announcement of the 21st century, a social game called Shenmue Town. Yes, that Shenmue. Other than its winter Japanese launch window, we know next to nothing about Shenmue Town. In our heart of hearts, we imagine you mingle around crowds of other real life players, asking if anyone knows anyone who speaks Chinese, or if anyone knows where a dude can find some sailors around these parts.
