In a brief video update on Shenmue III‘s highly successful Kickstarter page, creator Yu Suzuki informed fans that they were going to have to wait just a little longer for the eagerly anticipated title. Shenmue III was set to release in December of this year.
Sony’s initially helped reveal Shenmue III at E3 2015 during their press conference. It was shown off alongside the long awaited Final Fantasy VII Remake and The Last Guardian. Fans have been waiting for Shenmue III ever since Shenmue II‘s major narrative cliffhanger.
Shenmue III Lives on Through Kickstarter
Unfortunately, the first two titles in the series were commercial failures, despite garnering critical praise. Shenmue III entered a development hell that lasted over a decade. In 2010, Yu Suzuki left Sega to start his own company, Ys Net. They have since obtained rights to the series and have been in development following the launch of their Kickstarter.
Fortunately for fans, there have been rumors swirling around that a Shenmue I and II HD remaster collection could be in the works. This would serve as an excellent primer for gamers who have never played the originals. Still, older fans would likely eat up the chance to experience the games again in high definition.
Ys Net revealed late last month that Shenmue III wouldn’t be coming to E3, much like Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding and Team Ninja’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. Though it looks like we’ll have to wait a while until we see a significant update on the game’s progress, there’s still so much exciting news that’s bound to come out of E3 2017.
The massive, AAA games that will come out of E3 this year have us hyped. But some of the smaller independent games that might fly under some radars excite us even more. Check out our list of 5 Lesser Known Games We Hope to See at E3 2017. For more E3 2017 news, keep an eye on The Game Fanatics.
