Shenmue "3" can no longer be expected as such.

[ChiefNeo]

We're fast approaching the 10 year mark since Shenmue 1 was first released. I know it's hard to believe that so much time has passed. An eternity in the world of videogames to be sure.

I was opening my dreamcast the other day, preparing to play my "once every two years" Shenmue marathon, which I enforce in order to forget as much about the game as I possibly can...when I realized how far back it took me. That first summer years ago when I still lived in Chile, when I was still a dumb teenager, enjoying the free time, and beating Shenmue once every other week or so.

The thing is... It's been ages. Shenmue's story ended in little more than a cliffhanger. Why does that matter? Well, I'm not sure but I don't remember any franchise resurrection ever to simply pick up and continue where the last game left.

This poses one more bump on the road. I feel that SEGA would pretty much HAVE to include Shenmue 1 and 2 in some way or form. The precedent for this can be found in the shenmue movie that was included with the xbox version of #2, but seriously. Would a company shipping and marketing a new game really expect any newcomers to series to enjoy 2 hours worth of "movies" before picking up the remote and play?

Shenmue's strength, as we all know, is not it's gameplay. It's the story. Unlike gameplay, "story" is nearly impossible to repackage, paint, and sell. There has to be a consistent time line, characters, etc. Unilke, GTA, for example, which sells it's gameplay.

Shenmue could no longer be Shenmue 3. It would have to be "Shenmue," the first two games, with the third one, all in one, for the wii, OR a release of the third game with 2 free downloads of Shenmue 1 and 2 from xbox live (or the ps3 equivalent).

The fact that we'd have to expect some sort of reworking of the first two titles in the series adds to the cost of production (which frankly favors a wii version), and makes the possibility of us ever really seeing simply "Shenmue 3" announced, all the more implausible.

btw, this post is mainly the rambling of a college junior trying to waste time at 6am before his genetics final >.> <.< don't take it too seriously, as has become a tendency here since all hope is pretty much lost

[threeblades]

That's pretty obvious really. Sega would be extremely stupid to release Shenmue 3 on a machine where Shenmue 1 and 2 aren't. Shenmue is mostly about the story, which is epic and awesome despite what idiotic detractors will usually say (usually with a pathetic attempt at making it sound boring and generic by describing it in 1 sentence, which is something you can do with any game).


Unfortunately, if they made ports of the old games nobody would play them because idiots would call them "dated". Movies would suck and nobody would watch them anyway. And if Shenmue 3 just comes out of the blue, people will bash it because they'll have no idea what's going on in the game. Hell that happened with S2X even though it had the movie packaged with it! So imagine if Shenmue 3 has 2 movies :?

Besides, it's also a lot more fun if you import your save into the next game, to continue with the same items, and from the same date. It really gives a sense of continuation, and if you don't play like that, you're really missing out. That's how it was meant to be played really.

The only logical way is to remake it from scratch for current gen. This would absolutely not flop again, if they made them on a popular console and gave them the proper marketing. Unfortunately Sega is too stupid to see this, and it will never happen. They'd rather keep making pathetic Sonic games instead, it's easier and to them getting money from people who don't have a clue is just as good as getting money from hardcore gamers.

[Crimson Ryan]

What about Fallout 3? How long ago did Fallout 2 come out?

I wish they would remake Shenmue 1 and 2 as threeblades said, in fact, I'd probably enjoy that more than Shenmue 3.

[Master_Ryo]

We would have Shenmue 3 even Shenmue 4, if it wasn´t for Sega wasting all their money on Sonic crap games. Sega should listen more too what people really think about Sonic, read more review´s and see the reality of their Blue friend. Because they are wasting all their money on nothing. When they asked how much Sonic Unleashed´s total cost was, there was no comment on the matter. Too much, too expensive, but crap in the end.

[Martin]

What about Fallout 3? How long ago did Fallout 2 come out?

Fallout 3 completely ignored the first two games. Although they called it Fallout 3, they could have just called it Fallout.

[JoePesci]

Shenmue did have great gameplay, or at least great gameplay concepts that could easily be utilized on a new gen console. Hell, Shenmue is what made quicktime fun. Now every adventure game you turn to has something like it incorporated. Shenmue was simply far ahead of its time, and while these consoles are around and well, they should make it and make it well.

[2ndOpp]

I have been living by this belief for a while now. That is why my new petitions actually ask for "Shenmue: The Complete Saga". There is no reason, with todays disc size and tech, that they can't fit the entire game on say... 2 Xbox360 or PS3 discs... Wii might need more...

If they can fit Oblivion/Fallout3 with all their dialog and huge worlds, why not Shenmue?

[JoePesci]

They can most likely fit the shenmue saga on 1 blu-ray.

[Crimson Ryan]

What about Fallout 3? How long ago did Fallout 2 come out?

Fallout 3 completely ignored the first two games. Although they called it Fallout 3, they could have just called it Fallout.

Never played any of them so I wouldn't know. But don't you agree? The game sold well despite, I'd say a big number, not knowing of/playing the first 2 Fallout games.

[FeelinLuckyPUNK]

I'd never played or heard of Fallout 1/2 before Fallout 3 yet I bought it and I am still playing it now.

However, had Fallout 3 followed the story of Fallout 1 and 2, I wouldn't have bothered as I couldn't see the point in trying to catch up. One of the reasons I bought Fallout 3 is because it has NO connections with Fallout 1/2.

Shenmue has to be released as a full package for it to have any manner of success.

[odaryo]

oh, ten years~~~ it is hard to believe. Am I still a child now?

[BLeaK01]

Hello everybody, my name is Samy and I'm French. I regularly come here to read possible news on Shenmue III. I'd already like to excuse for my poor English...

Last year, some fans of Shenmue and me, began to work on a project, that was to translate Shenmue 2 in French langage. Today we have transleted 80% of the game. You can see some videos on youtube. There's the site too, if peraphs you speak a little bit French.. http://www.shenmuemaster.fr.st
We've contacted Microsoft to expose the project; they've been interested but only if we finish the translation. In that case, they agree to make the project verified by professionnals. If it's ok, shenmue 2 in French on the Xbox Live, and if the game sells it, they could envisage a physical release..

I would like to give my opinion on the future of Shenmue... I noticed that every time we asked Yu Suzuki or Sega for news on Shenmue III, it was : there are no plans for the moment for Shenmue III, or else : no comment. For Shenmue Online, we have more news that for Shenmue III(in 2003, 2006, and now 2008). I saw an interview with Yu to speak Shenmue Online, and He said that Shenmue Online begins directly after the end of Shenmue II, and in the long term, there's possibilities of release add-ons thanks to the support that is Shenmue Online.

So for me, Yu thinks that the important thing is that fans know the story.
Shenmue III is too expensive, and Shenmue Online could be a good alternative to tell the story, with a system of add-ons or extensions...

It's just some speculations based on details that are not necessarily significant, but it's an hypothese...

Thank you for your attention,

Samy.

[threeblades]

Hey dude, I'm from Quebec I think some other people can also speak french around here.

Pretty damn impressive that you translated such a big project, and especially that microsoft is interested! Very awesome!

[redline]

/\ wow if microsoft is really interested in translating shenmue into french it would be really cool!

but to be honest i want a game(shenmue3) i can play and finish not a never ending online game. :(

[FeelinLuckyPUNK]

One of the reasons I love Shenmue is because it is NOT some stupid MMORPG game. I don't play enough to get involved in those types of games and besides Shenmue = Ryo. Remove Ryo and you remove the whole point of the game. Shenmue is about Ryo's struggle, no-one elses.

I don't think Shenmue fans should settle for Shenmue Online at all! We want the continuation of Ryo's story not some shitty online game that goes 'so you want to finish the Shenmue story? Ok then, pay another £20 for the next few quests!' We are not that stupid, SEGA!

Shenmue fans are happy to wait for Shenmue 3, all we want is answers!

Good work Samy btw, however I think Microsoft should consider a worldwide re-release of Shenmue 2 on XBOX Live Originals. I'd buy it even though I have the original disc and I would be pretty cool if it was released in a variety of languages.