Yu Suzuki Begins Crowdfunding Shenmue III on PS4

Hello everyone. Yu Suzuki here. It has been 14 years since Shenmue II first went on sale. The game system it was released on, the Dreamcast, is not around anymore, but the voices of the fans that have been eagerly awaiting the sequel are still there and are as loud as ever. Any country I visit for work, any event where I am up on stage, any interview I do, the question I always get asked is, “When is the next Shenmue coming out?”

Moved by the fans and their passion, I have been constantly doing my homework and preparing for this day. And here it is — today marks the beginning of the Shenmue III project on Kickstarter. If there were to be a sequel to Shenmue, I wanted the voices of the fans to be heard, so we could make it together. I knew that could happen with Kickstarter.

PlayStation fans love video games, deeply understand video games, and have great ideas about what video games should be. Your support and cooperation will be absolutely necessary for this project. Our Kickstarter goal of 2 million dollars is certainly not an easy one. However, if we do reach that 2 million dollar mark, Shenmue will live again on PS4 (and PC).

The more our project can collect for game development during this campaign, the more the game will come alive — with more quests, more story events, more mini-games, the addition of a free-battle system, and more fight options. Stretch goals are part of the project to show supporting fans what they can expect as project funds increase. Like at the 2.5 million dollar stretch goal, Shenmue I & II flashback scenes will be added.

If you have not heard of Shenmue or are a first-time Shenmue gamer, this stretch goal will give you an even deeper gaming experience. Both you and your friends will benefit from your support, and you will be helping to create the next generation of Shenmue fans.

One of the rewards for the project will be the Shenmue III Demo Version. Something like this, of course, was not around for I & II. This is a Kickstarter-only privilege that will allow you to play Shenmue III before it gets to the stores. Besides me and the development team, those who play the Demo Version will really have the first word on the new Shenmue III.

We have a lot to show you, so please come and take a look at our project page.

So, until next time!