Shenmue IV Will Happen - Here's Why!

ahmed_alency7 said:
Do y’all think shenmue 4 will sell better than 3
Click to expand...

Shenmue 4 will have to be a real banger of a game in order for this to happen. Like they change it so much and give it such a great story that it breaks through to the mainstream audience and gets a lot of positive coverage. Without major studio backing and better management (sorry Suzuki, but even by your own admission you're a bit out of your element), I don't see that happening.

Shenmue 4 will likely sell less than 3. Publishers probably know this, or at the very least believe it, and I think it will be difficult to get the game funded and published. I do think it will come out someday, and we will like it, but I don't think it will sell well.

Sorry I'm such a debbie downer-- I love this place but the optimism here is crazy at times. Expect the worst and then you'll be pleasantly surprised when things turn around :)
 
ahmed_alency7 said:
What’s your favorite shenmue game and why? for me it’s shenmue 2 why? because of the story and the adventure it takes you on it’s so phenomenally well done
Click to expand...
The answer changes everytime, shifting from 1 to 3. But to avoid writing a heavy brick of post I'll say its Shenmue 2 too. Because when Shenmue chapter 1 was released I thought It was impossible to enhance that and the sequel just did it. The horizont of things to do expanded and blurried the "go from A to B" way better than other previously released excellent games like FF7&8.
Also thought there was no way I could root for a character more than with Megumi and Guizhang and yet, Wong and Ren entered. I treasure Wong specially.
Also Nozomi-dementor was gone at last, along all her annoyances and we got Joy and Shenhua instead.
 
Tosh said:
That would really depend on what kind of remake it is.
Is it 1:1 the same game just with better graphics? Did they change the pacing of the story?
Did they update the movement controls? Did they use new voice recordings?
Is it a low budget remake from a third party studio or is it a real Sega game, supervised by Sega?

Its a videogame, so it all comes down to if its a good game or not.
And people are used to different things now than back in 2001 in pretty much every category.

Also i feel like its gonna be too late for that now.
Like imagine if Sega is going to develop a full Shenmue 1 + 2 Remake now,
literally everything from scratch, everything updated to 2023 standards,
tighter story, fast travel etc and then you have this whole new package where part 1 and 2 are one big new game.

And then what about Shenmue 3 as a sequel to that?
It wont fit into there at all because Shenmue 3 follows the concept of the original two games.
So would they remake Shenmue 3 too? A game from 2019?
I think its too late for that whole remake plan now, unless Sega is going to wait another 10, 15 years.
Click to expand...
If it’s just a graphical upgrade do you think it will bring in more fans than the anime.
 
ahmed_alency7 said:
If it’s just a graphical upgrade do you think it will bring in more fans than the anime.
Click to expand...

Probably not because it would generate Youtube review videos like
"this is just the same old thing but pretty", "nice update for fans", "pretty visuals but outdated game design" and so on.
We are talking about game design that is over 20 years old by now. Game design like in Shenmue 3
is made for the fans, not for the general modern gaming audience.

You wont get Assassins Creed, Diablo, Resident Evil, GTA, Dark Souls, Cyberpunk, Final Fantasy etc fans into this boat.
Because all of these games moved along with the times and evolved in these 20 years.
Meanwhile even Shenmue 3 still plays like the original Shenmue games.
And i dont mean that in a bad way. Its just that Shenmue was away for so long,
that the gaming market basically left Shenmue behind. It was almost dead.
If they would announce Shenmue 1 today as a new game, even with the most up to date graphics,
it wouldnt be a big thing at all, because gamers in general are used to way bigger projects nowadays.

And you have to remember - remaking this from scratch means that everything is gonna have a new look.
Depending on the art style and engine, its possible that Ryo isnt gonna look like original Ryo.
So even along fans, a remake could end up as a big disappointment because suddenly
all the characters have a completely different look.

I think a better way to get a bigger audience or people back on board again,
is by making sure that Shenmue 4 is a extremely high polished project,
where fighting, exploring, story, dialogue, side content, world detail is super fun, interesting and 100% immersive.
But you wont get this with a indie, Kickstarter or AA budget if you are trying to make the game world
as big as Shenmue 2 or 3. Its not gonna work.
 
ahmed_alency7 said:
Do you think a shenmue 1&2 remake will get more fans into the series more than the shenmue anime?
Click to expand...

Shenmue 1&2 remake would be a waste of time and money. Everyone has already played Shenmue 1&2 a millions times. We got stuck in video game purgatory for 15 years the last thing we need to do is waste money and resources remaking and replaying games that we have been doing for the last 20 years anyway. Any money or resources need to be used progressing the story forward. Let's revisit the past once the overall story is complete.
 
bcdcdude said:
What is the meaning of life?
Click to expand...
Some fishes with the Monty Pythons heads inside a aquarium?

@ahmed_alency7 I believe the general feeling here its that Shenmue should finish at V, while we wish for a VI or even VII which is unrealistic, but given the shaky and troublesome life of the series its very probably it ends at IV. How this IV will be, the same story Yu Suzuki had in mind long ago or some rewrapped adaptation... Nobody knows.
 
I think shenmue 4 is in development for those who disagree please tell me why i would like to hear your opinions and get more information i mean from yu suzuki’s quotes it seems that is being developed like yu-san visiting shanghai for some work after shenmue 3 and his famitsu 2021 quote when they asked his new year’s resolution for 2021 he said “the sequel to”IMG_0013.jpegIMG_0014.jpegIMG_0015.jpegIMG_0016.jpeg
 
Shenmue IV won't happen - here's why:

- The third game had to be kickstarted. There wasn't even enough interest from Sega or any other publisher for the mythological and "much demanded" third game, let alone a Shenmue IV

- The third game bombed. No one bought it and if you want to buy a copy right now, it'll probably set you back a measly £4.

- The third game received a mixed critical response, with many complaints directed at its gameplay, animations, story, writing and design. Thus...

- There is next to no demand outside of forums like this place.

- Even with the Shenmue 3 work in place, it would still take considerable time and money to build Shenmue 4. There is little financial incentive for a publisher to take this risk.

- The series and characters are too niche

- It's too late to bring in new fans and there is very little anyone could or can do to make Shenmue 4 more appealing to nee audiences

You're all welcome. I hope you enjoy this positive post on a Wednesday afternoon (or whatever timezone you are in). Happy hump day.

But jokes aside, I am sure 4 years after the release of the third game, a publisher will become interested at any moment now and an announcement is imminent.

And now, for something more positive:

Shenmue IV will happen - here's why:

- They already have an engine, gameplay mechanics, animations and assets in place.

- Shenmue has surpassed the 20 year rule. That means it's due a comeback

- Lots of third entries are lacklustre, but are able to have a comeback with a fourth game.

- They shouldn't need such a large budget for the fourth game and there are areas they can cut back on further, such as English VA

Yu Suzuki has been tight lipped, which probably he means he is up to something (ok, I am grasping at straws now...)
 
ahmed_alency7 said:
Do you think yu suzuki could get a higher budget for shenmue 4
Click to expand...

Last I heard he was wanting the same budget as he did for 3 ($20 mill).
With all the tools/assets in place from 3, that's quite a big amount, so I'm wondering if he's looking to wrap it up in the fourth game or get as much story squeezed in as possible.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top