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‘Shenmue 3’ is more Shenmue, for better and worse
"Is this what I wanted?" I must have asked myself this question three, four, possibly five times during my 15-minute demo of Shenmue 3. The experience, to be clear, was definitively and unashamedly Shenmue. I steered the series' protagonist, Ryo Hazuki, around a beautifully-crafted village filled with charming villagers and side-activities. I talked to people. I played a game of Lucky Hit, the notoriously tricky gambling game from Shenmue 2. I bought some colorful "gacha" toys from a capsule machine. I even practiced my martial arts at a nearby dojo. But I wasn't happy.
'Shenmue 3' will be an Epic Games Store exclusive on PC
Surprise! The PC version of Shenmue 3 is now an Epic Games Store exclusive. That means the crowdfunded sequel, which was originally unveiled as part of Sony's E3 press conference in 2015, won't be sold through Steam or any other PC-centric storefront. "In looking for the most enjoyable experience on PC, it was decided together with Deep Silver after much discussion that the Epic Games Store would be the best distribution platform option," developer Ys Net said in a Kickstarter update. For now, it's unclear if backers who wanted the Steam version will be offered any kind of refund, or forced to accept the Epic Games Store version. The Epic deal doesn't affect the game's PlayStation 4 version, however. Still, the move is bound to rile some players who dislike the Epic store and its ever-growing lineup of exclusives -- some temporary, others permanent -- including The Division 2, Metro Exodus and Outer Wilds. If none of that bothers you, good news -- Ys Net also released a new gameplay trailer today. It shows series protagonist Ryo Hazuki practicing his martial arts and, later, battling a group of drunken thugs. Shenmue 3 is currently scheduled to come out on November 19th. The game been delayed many times, however, so we wouldn't be surprised if it slipped into early 2020.
'Shenmue III' delayed -- again -- until November 19th
If you've been waiting patiently for the arrival of Shenmue III, you'll have to temper your excitement a little longer. The long-awaited third installment in the classic series has been delayed yet again. Ryo Hazuki is now expected to return to your screens November 19th.
'Shenmue III' makes its long-delayed debut on August 27th, 2019
The long-awaited, crowdfunded Shenmue III was originally supposed to arrive by December 2017, but that clearly never came to pass -- delays have pushed it back two years. The developers at Ys Net appear ready to hold their ground, though. They've announced that the third installment in Ryo's martial arts saga will launch on August 27th, 2019. The studio hasn't shed much more light on the story in the process, but the accompanying trailer (below) reiterates the prophecy that Ryo and Ling Shenhua would join together on a "rocky path."
'Shenmue 3' will apparently arrive in 2019
At this point, it seems like driving a forklift in the world of Shenmue again is even more of a pipe dream. Development on the third entry in the groundbreaking series kicked into gear in 2015 after a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign; after the last postponement, Shenmue 3 was scheduled to drop in the back half of 2018. However, another delay means you'll have to wait until 2019 for the next part of Ryo Hazuki's story.
The first ‘Shenmue III’ teaser is comfortably familiar
There's plenty of big news flowing out from this year's Gamescom. Although the Xbox One X has dominated the headlines thus far, some other fan-favorite games are also vying for space at the event. Among them, the long-awaited Shenmue III. Today, eager gamers are finally being treated to actual footage from the title.
'Shenmue 3' delayed by up to a year
The third part of the Shenmue saga has been delayed, developer Ys Net revealed in a Kickstarter update today. Shenmue 3 was supposed to ship this December, however that always seemed unlikely given how little we've seen of the game through screenshots and gameplay snippets. In a video, series creator Yu Suzuki broke the news that the title will now be released in the second half of 2018. "By utilizing new technologies, we have been able to discover new possibilities and expressions," he said. "In many ways, the game has become bigger and more beautiful than I initially expected. We do, however, need more time to deliver the game to you."
Sega is 'investigating' a 'Shenmue' HD remaster
Shenmue fans may have some significant announcements to look forward to from Sega if all goes well. The company, when responding to a recent fan question about possible HD remasters of the Dreamcast's seminal 1999 role-playing game Shenmue and its 2001 sequel, expressed that it's "currently investigating" the idea.
New 'Shenmue 3' screenshots give you a glimpse of the game
If you need any more proof that Yu Suzuki really is making a new Shenmue game two decades after the last one, look above and below the fold. Yes, these are actual Shenmue 3 screenshots (and even a little video) that Suzuki's team showed off at the Monaco Anime Game International Conferences. They're still just a work-in-progress, true, but they're enough to give you an idea of what the sequel will look like. Suzuki started working on the classic franchise's third entry after his Kickstarter campaign last year breezed through its $2 million goal. It ended up raising over $6 million, enabling the team to go through with the game's development for both PS4 and PC. Shenmue 3 won't be out until December 2017 or later, but the team will likely release more tidbits of info (and more photos!) to tide us over until then.
Some 'Shenmue III' backers won't get their rewards after all
After breaking records with their Shenmue 3 Kickstarter campaign, the developers at Ys Net are taking an... interesting stance toward fans of the project. You see, as a result of the wildly successful crowdfunding campaign for another entry in the cult classic franchise, not everyone who wanted to get in on the action was able to before it ended. So Ys opened up a "slacker backer" period where folks could pledge their support (and dollars) via Paypal, adding to the $6 million already promised to the developers from Kickstarter backers. All good, right?
This is how 'Shenmue 3' raked in over $6 million on Kickstarter
Records, like rules, were made to be broken. Shenmue 3's Kickstarter campaign recently wrapped and upon doing so it set the bar for video-game projects on the crowdfunding platform by pulling in some $6.3 million in pledges. It's pretty impressive when you consider that just last month the previous record-holder, the Castlevania spiritual successor Bloodstained, raised over $5.5 million in a similar span of time. Both games come from legendary game developers striking out on their own (thanks to risk-averse publishers) and both are more or less the sequels fans have been asking for for years.
Documentary explains why 'Shenmue 3' is a big deal
The Shenmue series represents a milestone in the gaming industry for many fans, a point where console experiences truly took off. The first Shenmue, released in 1999 for the Sega Dreamcast, was an immersive, emotional, cinematic role-playing game that expanded the definition of an action experience and pushed existing technology to its limits. A new documentary from filmmaker Adam Sipione and Fauxpop Media, A Gamer's Journey: The Definitive History of Shenmue, dives into the franchise's history and explores the recent announcement of Shenmue 3. Series creator Yu Suzuki revealed Shenmue 3 and its $2 million Kickstarter on-stage during Sony's E3 2015 press conference, and nine hours later, the project had cleanly smashed that goal. Check out the teaser for A Gamer's Journey, including footage direct from Sony's E3 showcase and accompanying fan reactions, below.
'Shenmue 3' Kickstarter will offer PS4 copies on disc
It's safe to say people are excited about Shenmue 3: Just 48 hours after legendary developer Yu Suzuki launched a crowdfunding campaign, the game smashed its $2 million fundraising goal, pulling in more than $4 million, and setting a couple Kickstarter records in the process. So it's clear fans of the series are already happy. But just in case you needed another reason to commit, Suzuki's studio YS Net just posted an update on Kickstarter saying that backers will now have the option of choosing a physical PS4 copy of the game. Previously, the options were: digital copies for PS4 or Windows for $29, or a physical Windows copy for $60. So, PlayStation fans will now also have the option of playing off a disc; there, too, the price will be sixty bucks. If that's the only reason you were previously holding off on backing, you can still do so: The campaign is open through the evening of July 17th, with the game set to arrive in December 2017.
'Shenmue 3' creator Yu Suzuki is taking questions live on Twitch
Whether you've already eagerly thrown money at the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter or are skeptically viewing the explanations, you can hear more directly from the man in charge tonight. Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki will hop on Twitch live at 10PM ET to talk about the upcoming PC and PS4 game in a Q&A. While you wait, the project recently revealed its list of stretch goals, which to this point are already filled to the tune of $3.6 million. Suzuki and Sony's plan is either a fantastic way to breathe life into a long-dormant franchise, or everything that's wrong with big companies using crowdfunding for publicity, but if you're a fan of the series, we'll see you back here in about half an hour.
'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.
