Shenmue IV Will Happen - Here's Why!

Don't count out Sony--I know they won't be at E3, but they've shown a continued interest in revitalizing vintage series' due to fan demand, as we've seen.

SOCOM, Silent Hill and Bluepoint's(supposed) MGS remake are probably the worst kept secrets in gaming, especially Silent Hill.

They did invest some in Shenmue III and having an ardent fanbase for their console would be a boon. I wouldn't be surprised if they went for exclusivity again if it is announced.
 
Don't count out Sony...
I really do think that console exclusivity of Shenmue 4 would be worth a lot to either Sony or Microsoft. The Kickstarter proved that us fans are willing to pay thousands for another Shenmue game and I’m fairly certain there are plenty who wouldn’t think twice about buying a PS5 or Xbox Series X to do so.

Shenmue 3 came at a time when console sales probably didn’t factor into things too much, but with new consoles having just released, it could be huge for either company. I myself plan on picking up a PS5 eventually anyway, but if Shenmue 4 was announced as an Xbox Series exclusive I’d almost certainly get a Series X instead. Or both.
 
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Don't count out Sony--I know they won't be at E3, but they've shown a continued interest in revitalizing vintage series' due to fan demand, as we've seen.

SOCOM, Silent Hill and Bluepoint's(supposed) MGS remake are probably the worst kept secrets in gaming, especially Silent Hill.

They did invest some in Shenmue III and having an ardent fanbase for their console would be a boon. I wouldn't be surprised if they went for exclusivity again if it is announced.
Well, all three of those franchises sold a ton more than Shenmue, especially MGS. Shenmue is beyond niche compared to those, so I'd not get my hopes up for Sony.
 
It’s still a name people recognize. You really can’t pay for the kind of brand recognition that a name like Shenmue, even though it’s fairly obscure, brings. A well placed ad on a landing page could make people go, “What, that game I played 20 years ago is still around!?” I think certain companies see value in that. That’s why Stadia was trying to poach Ys Net (if the story is true). Experience and name recognition are worth something.
 
Don't count out Sony--I know they won't be at E3, but they've shown a continued interest in revitalizing vintage series' due to fan demand, as we've seen.

SOCOM, Silent Hill and Bluepoint's(supposed) MGS remake are probably the worst kept secrets in gaming, especially Silent Hill.

They did invest some in Shenmue III and having an ardent fanbase for their console would be a boon. I wouldn't be surprised if they went for exclusivity again if it is announced.
With the way things are going right now in Sony? I don't expect them to embrace IV at all. If IV happens, I'm sure it will be on PS4 or PS5 (depending on how things go), but I don't see them embracing it in the same way they did the Shenmue III announcement just because with all the shit going on at Sony right now, it seems like Jim Ryan is only interested in blockbusters over all else.

I think if it happens, I'm gonna predict it happens with Epic...which I can see people groaning at the thought of Epic...but I don't know. I could see them striking a deal with Epic to make it happen. Epic certainly has the money and a modestly budgeted Shenmue IV surely wouldn't hurt them. I don't know...I really think Epic might be the one to make it happen if it does. Maybe Epic and Deep Silver again. But we will see...

I just don't know if I see Sony embracing it...not with the way things are at Sony right now.
 
It really does feel like Sony really are dropping the ball over the last few months. The reason I bought a PS4 was because most of my favourite franchises were on there - almost all exclusively Japanese. The few non-Japanese games I like were often PS4 exclusives anyway.

The closure of Sony's Japan studio, Jim Ryan acting like a prick* and the feeling that PlayStation is becoming more US-centric is pretty worrying. I appreciate that gaming is a business and money needs to be made, but i'm not liking the way the wind is blowing at the moment.

I'm seeing a lot of negative news with Sony at the moment, but it does feel like us gamers are in the minority and we're just pissing in the wind. Sadly, the majority of gamers are only into FIFA, COD etc. I know i'm being stereotypical, but I do believe i'm not that far off the mark. Who knows, we might be surprised, but I do have to agree with you.

As far as Epic are concerned, this recent news is pretty worrying...

*His name has been popping up a lot in the news recently and I have to say i'm not liking him at all. He is clearly a businessman and not someone passionate about the industry.
 
As far as Epic are concerned, this recent news is pretty worrying...
I wouldn’t worry too much about this. It’s all a part of their long term strategy. They’ll be breaking even by 2023 and making some serious money by 2025; potentially sooner depending on how their upcoming antitrust lawsuit goes. If they can legally compel Apple to allow the EGS on IOS (which I fully expect to happen), they’ll be making silly money.
 
I don't really have a hat in the whole Steam/Epic thing to be honest as i'm more of a console gamer, but I must admit that I'm not keen on Epic as a company. That said, if Sony are unlikely to help fund Shenmue IV, i'd rather them help rather than say Google.

God I miss the good old days when things seemed a little simpler~!
 
I think if it happens, I'm gonna predict it happens with Epic...which I can see people groaning at the thought of Epic...
Agreed. Also, Epic Games Publishing (the newly formed Epic publisher) will be releasing their games as multiplatform titles which would include PS5/Xbox/Switch.

So, if Shenmue 4 were to be picked up by Epic's new publishing division, people can relax knowing they won't be forced to use a PC games launcher which ruined their lives.
 
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Do you think the metacritic score of Shenmue III may hurt Shenmue IV's chances of green light?

With all this talk about Sony caring about the meta critic from the Days Gone director. It just got me thinking...would that play a factor into Shenmue IV? Let's face it, Shenmue III got a fairly average MC score. Do you think that will hurt its chances in the eyes of a publisher?
 
Do you think the metacritic score of Shenmue III may hurt Shenmue IV's chances of green light?

With all this talk about Sony caring about the meta critic from the Days Gone director. It just got me thinking...would that play a factor into Shenmue IV? Let's face it, Shenmue III got a fairly average MC score. Do you think that will hurt its chances in the eyes of a publisher?
Unfortunately it may sway some publishers, basically don't get your hopes up, but consider it a nice surprise if IV goes into production.
 
Unfortunately it may sway some publishers, basically don't get your hopes up, but consider it a nice surprise if IV goes into production.
I'm hoping for the best...we all kind of thought SIII wouldn't happen and it did...so I'm still holding out some hope...but the realist in me does say its probably gonna be a hard fight for IV. Unless they keep the budget fairly modest and deliver more on what they've already built.
 
I'm hoping for the best...we all kind of thought SIII wouldn't happen and it did...so I'm still holding out some hope...but the realist in me does say its probably gonna be a hard fight for IV. Unless they keep the budget fairly modest and deliver more on what they've already built.
I imagine, if I was a publisher, I might consider it if Yu Suzuki said it was the final game, then you might get some good publicity being known as the company who helped finish a classic series. If YSnet have some resources left to start building Baisha Village as the first half, it becomes a better sell.
 
but if Shenmue 4 was announced as an Xbox Series exclusive I’d almost certainly get a Series X instead
I'd see S4 going Sony exclusive again before Microsoft.
Phil Spencer seems to have zero interest in having the series back on Xbox, despite his former claims that S3 was the most requested sequel by Xbox fans.
Spencer is far more pro-Game Pass these days too and has been quoted somewhere as saying exclusives are counter productive.
 
I'd see S4 going Sony exclusive again before Microsoft.
Phil Spencer seems to have zero interest in having the series back on Xbox, despite his former claims that S3 was the most requested sequel by Xbox fans.
Spencer is far more pro-Game Pass these days too and has been quoted somewhere as saying exclusives are counter productive.
I dunno about that. Jim Ryan seems pretty determined to run the PS5 into the ground, so doing something that might actually encourage people to buy one probably seems a little counterintuitive from his point of view. Besides, Sony seems far more interested in blockbuster titles that will score 90 or above on Metacritic these days than taking a chance with niche titles. Imo, there’s more chance of a Last of Us part 2 full remake being announced for the system than there is Shenmue 4.
 
Do you think the metacritic score of Shenmue III may hurt Shenmue IV's chances of green light?
Depends who YsNet are pitching to, but the Metacritic situation isn't really that dire anyway.

The game on PC and PS4 are only a few points off the "generally favourable reviews" tier, and positive reviews outnumber the negative ones 4:1 on PS4 and 5:1 on PC, with the majority being mixed. What YsNet will need to do is show publishers that they understand why that is and that they have a plan to turn around those mixed reviews.

As far as we're aware, Yu Suzuki spent an extensive time reading reviews and reactions after launch, and they're pitching with gameplay prototypes. If Shenmue IV doesn't get greenlit, it's more damning of the state of the industry rather than YsNet's capacity to pitch and create games.
 
I hate how games are now treated as either...

A) 10/10 Masterpiece
B) Worst thing ever made

...with very little in-between. 'Good' has somehow become synonymous with 'disaster'.
7/10 is considered rubbish these days. Back when I was a kid 7/10 was considered a solid game with some flaws.
 
I hate how games are now treated as either...

A) 10/10 Masterpiece
B) Worst thing ever made

...with very little in-between. 'Good' has somehow become synonymous with 'disaster'.

Not to get into, "that," topic, but it stems from a certain country beneath my own, that strives to make everything black and white, with no middle ground and that tries to create division.

When that becomes the loudest voice and there's either money, fame or power to be gained, people jump ship and try to emulate.
 
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