Shenmue IV Will Happen - Here's Why!

16 initially but it appears to have been revised to 11. 11 chapters across 4-5 games. Yu Suzuki said he can complete the story in 4 but he would like 5.View attachment 20542
This is cool to see.

Many moons ago, I was reading about his planned direction for the series (The original 16 chapters over 4 games itinerary).

I do wonder how far the direction of his original plan has strayed, as over the years, his answers, and of course, the differing rumours on the direction of the saga, have changed greatly.

He stated four entries, then he said five entries, then he was quoted as saying that he planned ”Four or five games”.

Some internet rumours say that there was even as many as seven to eight games planned at one point.

And now he says that there are no concrete plans for Shenmue 4.

So if four was made, I really would not be surprised if that was used to tie up the entire saga.

Shenmue 3 was not a bad game, but it certainly didn't carry the story forward as much as many of us hoped it would, so I do wonder how much of his initial vision he'd have to cram into Shenmue 4, as the chances of both Shenmue 4 and Shenmue 5 being made, in my opinion, are sadly pretty slim.
 
This is cool to see.

Many moons ago, I was reading about his planned direction for the series (The original 16 chapters over 4 games itinerary).

I do wonder how far the direction of his original plan has strayed, as over the years, his answers, and of course, the differing rumours on the direction of the saga, have changed greatly.

He stated four entries, then he said five entries, then he was quoted as saying that he planned ”Four or five games”.

Some internet rumours say that there was even as many as seven to eight games planned at one point.

And now he says that there are no concrete plans for Shenmue 4.

So if four was made, I really would not be surprised if that was used to tie up the entire saga.

Shenmue 3 was not a bad game, but it certainly didn't carry the story forward as much as many of us hoped it would, so I do wonder how much of his initial vision he'd have to cram into Shenmue 4, as the chances of both Shenmue 4 and Shenmue 5 being made, in my opinion, are sadly pretty slim.
Shenmue 4 has a chance I don’t think 5 we will see that’s why I recently been saying they shouldn’t take the chance it’s the end of 2024 and there’s no Shenmue IV announcement.
 
To be honest, I don't understand why fans are so stubborn on sticking to the planned story (i.e. finish at S5), as all we know of it is a few doodles and a few names of locations. The entire story as it is currently planned could be the most average story on earth, so why be so stubborn to hold onto it (at least from a fan's perspective)? Hell, the development of S4 might be terrible and they might need to cut stuff anyway! Look no further than Baisha for that painful reminder. If I were Yu Suzuki, I would have regular roundtable discussions with script writers, or at least staff members, to see what could be chopped and changed, because until I know the remainder of the story no one will be able to convince me that a completely unknown story - essentially a book of blank pages after S3 - cannot be condensed into S4. Hell, I'm sure even AI could come up with something half-decent to finish it off in 4 games, and we'd have no idea that that wasn't the original script.
 
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To be honest, I don't understand why fans are so stubborn on sticking to the planned story (i.e. finish at S5), as all we know of it is a few doodles and a few names of locations. The entire story as it is currently planned could be the most average story on earth, so why be so stubborn to hold onto it (at least from a fan's perspective)? Hell, the development of S4 might be terrible and they might need to cut stuff anyway! Look no further than Baisha for that painful reminder. If I were Yu Suzuki, I would have regular roundtable discussions with script writers, or at least staff members, to see what could be chopped and changed, because until I know the remainder of the story no one will be able to convince me that a completely unknown story - essentially a book of blank pages after S3 - cannot be condensed into S4. Hell, I'm sure even AI could come up with something half-decent to finish it off in 4 games, and we'd have no idea that that wasn't the original script.
The problem is that S3 didn't move the story in a satisfying arc. It's hard to go from Ryo getting whupped by street thugs in S3 to defeating Lan Di in the 4th game. It won't be satisfying and there is no way it won't feel rushed.

The only way S4 could be a satisfying end is that if they release a remake/director cut that overhauls Shenmue 3, especially the later half, add Baisha, flesh out the characters, etc... Basically make it a new game.

I don't understand the obsession with "Finishing the story" if the story is gonna be rushed or truncated in a major way, I would rather Shenmue remain unfinished than have a disappointing ending.
 
The problem is that S3 didn't move the story in a satisfying arc. It's hard to go from Ryo getting whupped by street thugs in S3 to defeating Lan Di in the 4th game. It won't be satisfying and there is no way it won't feel rushed.
This is a legitimate question not meant to antagonize or anything like that, but do you really think a game that could be 30-40 hours long would not be long enough for Ryo to defat Lan Di? Because that is a lot of hours. How many cupboards and drawers do you need to open? Not every Shenmue needs to be a full-scale investigation of the environment. The series has sped up and slowed down in equal measure through the series and he didn't hang out in every town.

There are many ways that Lan Di could be beaten, why for example would he need to be beaten cleanly? In fact, if Ryo is going for revenge alone, do you think he cares about beating Lan Di with pride or with pure strength? At the moment in the story, he seems hellbent on revenge enough to try something that doesn't even involve kung fu. Also, why would it need to be one-on-one and on pure 'I have more kung fu than you' like a top trumps battle? Or if it was, you could easily do a bunch of training, QTE training montages of a month or two, say he stays with a kung fu master for a few months for example, that whole period wouldn't have to be experienced day-by-day.

I personally wouldn't like it if Ryo beats Lan Di on merit. I think it would be more interesting if he never equals Lan Di in pure strength (i.e. some techniques to kill people would be stronger, and ryo wouldn't and hasn't learned those) but outsmarts him somehow and catches him off guard with a special move.
 
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This is a legitimate question not meant to antagonize or anything like that, but do you really think a game that could be 30-40 hours long would not be long enough for Ryo to defat Lan Di? Because that is a lot of hours. How many cupboards and drawers do you need to open? Not every Shenmue needs to be a full-scale investigation of the environment. The series has sped up and slowed down in equal measures and he didn't hang out in every town.

There are many ways that Lan Di could be beaten, in fact, why does he need to be beaten cleanly? In fact, if Ryo is going for revenge alone, do you think he cares about beating Lan Di with pride or with pure strength? At the moment in the story, he seems hellbent on revenge enough to try something stupid. Also, why would it need to be one-on-one and on pure 'I have more kung fu than you'? Or if it was, you could easily do a bunch of training, QTE training montages of a month or two, say he stays with a kung fu master for a few months for example, that whole period wouldn't have to experienced day-by-day.

I personally wouldn't like it if Ryo beats Lan Di on merit. I think it would be more interesting if he outsmarts him and catches him off guard with a special move.
The only way 30-40 hours would be enough for Ryo to face Lan DI would be if S4 was 100% action game with Ryo facing the upper echelons of the Chiyoumen one after the other with no room for regular slow burn Shenmue gameplay, I think most of us don't want that. I want Shenmue not a beat 'em up with cutscenes.

And yes, Ryo has to beat Lan Di in a 1v1 bout, Ryo getting stronger and studying under all those masters throughout his journey is all leading up to his final duel with Lan Di... If Ryo picks up a glock and unloads on Lan Di I think everyone's left with blue balls
 
with no room for regular slow burn Shenmue gameplay, I think most of us don't want that. I want Shenmue not a beat 'em up with cutscenes.
When are you expecting the story to actually be told? Because, unless they intend for everything to be a mystery, at S3 speed and with smaller budgets, 6 games won't even be enough.

If Ryo picks up a glock and unloads on Lan Di I think everyone's left with blue
:ROFLMAO: true! But I think you could easily pull off multiple 3-6 month training montages after the cliff temple no problem.

I think S4 has to be opposite of S3, it needs to have urgency, answer more questions than it asks, and use mostly character-driven storytelling using existing characters, not environment-driven storytelling, so that if it is the end, then we got 4 great games, full character arcs for some characters, satisfying closure here and there and something we can call an ending.

Not stuck in a cave, not stuck with another 'and the story continues' screen. IMO, that would just piss people off and guarantee no S5. Another S3 with the same formula - explore a new area, spending development resources on non-reusable towns and people, and still not have Ryo ready for Lan Di - surely will do the same, if S3 hasn't already killed off the series. Or do you think an S3-structured S4 would work?

If you defeat Lan Di and get two endings (good/bad), then the good ending could leave space for S5, but the bad one wouldn’t, for example.

I’d like to hear how people think S4 can end without the defeat of lan di and expect S5 to get funding. And before anyone says Chi You Men are more important, if you asked all S3 players what organization Lan Di is part of, I’d be amazed if more than 50% could recall its name accurately, so I’m not sure how a non-Lan Di ending is going to wow anyone, unless they wish to wheel out another large-chested lady, of course.

S4 has the luxury of potentially using a treasure trove of existing characters that don’t need creating, just filling out. I really hope it doesn’t ignore that resource-saving, fan-pleasing opportunity for more mysterious undercooked unknowns, towns bereft of depth and soul and filled to the brim with garlic, capsule toys and another new Chi You Men member.
 
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Yeah, I don’t really like the “it needs to be six games long because that was the plan 30 years ago.” A lot has changed since then. I would’ve liked all five or six games to look and play like the originals but we’re well past that.

Making Shenmue 3 slow instead of a faster paced game that moves the storyline along considerably was a big error in my opinion; clearly did not lead to more Shenmue games. If they’re not going to develop Shenmue 4 with a massive budget and new writers I definitely don’t want another Shenmue 3-styled game and would prefer the faster pace we are discussing. We are unlikely to see Shenmue was originally envisioned, due to the many negative factors we are aware of, so it’s smart to tweak the formula.
 
I still hope there's a more mystical aspect to the story, and we have yet to see some of the epic stuff we know from the Projekt Berkley and Shenmue Online trailer. I don’t know if it’s possible to fit all of that into one more game. It could have worked if Shenmue 3 had slowly built on Shenmue 2’s ending instead of brushing all of it's supernatural elements under a rug.
 
Yeah, I don’t really like the “it needs to be six games long because that was the plan 30 years ago.” A lot has changed since then. I would’ve liked all five or six games to look and play like the originals but we’re well past that.

Making Shenmue 3 slow instead of a faster paced game that moves the storyline along considerably was a big error in my opinion; clearly did not lead to more Shenmue games. If they’re not going to develop Shenmue 4 with a massive budget and new writers I definitely don’t want another Shenmue 3-styled game and would prefer the faster pace we are discussing. We are unlikely to see Shenmue was originally envisioned, due to the many negative factors we are aware of, so it’s smart to tweak the formula.
This. At some point you have to learn to adapt instead of trying to cling on to the past or a vision that is out of touch/unrealistic. Things change.

They need to focus on essentials, temper their ambitions and mostly focus on the story so this series has an actual chance to continue instead of excessive lofty goals that wont go anywhere.
 
This. At some point you have to learn to adapt instead of trying to cling on to the past or a vision that is out of touch/unrealistic. Things change.

They need to focus on essentials, temper their ambitions and mostly focus on the story so this series has an actual chance to continue instead of excessive lofty goals that wont go anywhere.
Yu-san hinted at the interview by James and Switch, in a far more clear than his usual talking, that indeed what's left of the story needs to be reshaped if we gonna see the end. And that he's more at ease of mind with it.
I'm in with with anything coming with his signature. I prefer the full Shenmue experience but if he says "TellTale style" to me its law. 2D? I rather not, but if there's his signature, again its law for me.

@ahmed_alency7 here it is
https://www.shenmuedojo.com/forum/i...by-shenmue-dojo-and-phantom-river-stone.5596/

Not exactly directly means finishing with S4. He left the window open up to S5, but he sorts of rule out more.
If you don't mind I'm not into the mood of pointing more about it but take his statement about "we might never see the ending (if we add all what's left of the story)"
 
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Yu-san hinted at the interview by James and Switch, in a far more clear than his usual talking, that indeed what's left of the story needs to be reshaped if we gonna see the end. And that he's more at ease of mind with it.
I'm in with with anything coming with his signature. I prefer the full Shenmue experience but if he says "TellTale style" to me its law. 2D? I rather not, but if there's his signature, again its law for me.
Where’s the interview and what more did he say did he indicate at Shenmue IV ending the story?
 
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Yeah, I don’t really like the “it needs to be six games long because that was the plan 30 years ago.” A lot has changed since then. I would’ve liked all five or six games to look and play like the originals but we’re well past that.

Making Shenmue 3 slow instead of a faster paced game that moves the storyline along considerably was a big error in my opinion; clearly did not lead to more Shenmue games. If they’re not going to develop Shenmue 4 with a massive budget and new writers I definitely don’t want another Shenmue 3-styled game and would prefer the faster pace we are discussing. We are unlikely to see Shenmue was originally envisioned, due to the many negative factors we are aware of, so it’s smart to tweak the formula.
I'm 100% sure that if there's someone who can tweak the formula that's Yu Suzuki. And by the way, your previous idea about crossing Shenmue and RGG by liking Nagai Industries (or/and other of the many underground parties like Mad Angels, Chen family, CYM...) rocks the house.
 
We will probably never see the original vision, in my opinion the original vision is VF RPG, the way we see in the chapters arts.

The story beginning on the first chapter art on the left in the Yokosuka chapter, and ending in the last chapter art on the down right in the Xijiang chapter.

And the order of the original vision would probably be the chapters arts from left to right, up to down, but even Yu Suzuki decided to change that when he did Shenmue II.


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Chapter 4 is Shanghai & Suzhou. Yu Suzuki said that in Shenmue IV Ryo, Shenhua and Ren are going to Suzhou.

In Shenmue II Yu Suzuki decided to change his original vision, the Guilin Chapter is chapter 5, but what Yu Suzuki did? he decided to put some pieces of chapter 5 in the second game, and to me this was a beautiful decision, to me the Guilin part is one of my favorite moments not only in Shenmue, but in the entire gaming history.

In the Dojo x Phantom River Stone interview Yu Suzuki even said that he thought about put the location Luoyang in Shenmue II.

In other words... even Yu Suzuki changed some things in his original VF RPG vision when he was developing Shenmue II.

Shenmue II is 80% of chapter 2, the remaining 20% is pieces of chapter 4, 5 and 6, and Shenmue II is one of my favorite games of all time.


I'm not against Yu Suzuki changing some things and have to cut out some things to end this epic game series in Shenmue IV, I just don't think the conclusion of Shenmue will be satisfying this way, but as a I said in other thread, but one thing is certain, we would finally have the ending of Shenmue in game form.

To me it wasn't a mistake that Shenmue III is similar to the first game, especially in Bailu Village that it feels like a second home to Ryo, a calm time in Ryo's journey, BUT do I think that Shenmue IV needs to be slow pace too? No.

I think Shenmue IV needs to be similar to Shenmue II in relation to the pacing, locations, story and much more, even if Yu Suzuki decide to end in Shenmue V.

Shenmue is not a success, in a perfect world I would love to see Shenmue till Shenmue VII like Yu Suzuki mentioned in the Dojo x Phantom River Stone Interview? Yes, of course. I would even love to see spin-off games, for example a game where Ren is the protagonist.


I would love to see the story this way, with all the locations, and the way Yu Suzuki really want, but sadly... realistic speaking Shenmue till Shenmue VII now is not the way to go.

If in 5 more years we still don't have Shenmue IV, maybe even Yu Suzuki will decide that it is time to release a manga or a novel to conclude Shenmue in another form.

Yu Suzuki said that it would be best for him and also for us to end Shenmue in Shenmue V, and I agree with him.

I don't think is impossible for Yu Suzuki to make IV & V and end this epic game series in a beautiful way, right now I still believe is possible.

We will probably have Shenmue announcements of ININ Games soon, and I can't wait to see what they are planning for Shenmue, we have Shenmue announcements to look forward to and to me that's very good, they even said "Next Phase" of Shenmue.

Let's hope for good news and good announcements. 💚
 
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