Support NeoGAF

[Elektro Demon]

I cannot stand these dudes. So incredibly over the top and corny.

I'M ABSOLUTELY CRYING OVER HERE

Get ahold of yourself.

These are gametrailers dudes. They are genuinely gamers and really passionate about it. It's not fake excitement.
Why do you think they're over the top?

 

[Kokoloko85]

All i care about is if we get another sequel.
Not what non fans think of it lol...

Shame Yu made a bad combat system. From the guy who made virtua fighter and shenmue 1/2 to this....

damn it i need this to sell lol

 

[Synless]

I backed it, Enjoyed it and would back a forth game. The game isn't for everyone, it's slow paced, meticulous to a fault and the acting isn't top tier but the game is solid. It scored decently for what it is and I just hope it does well enough to warrant one more final game.

 

[Psykodad]

That's nostalgia for ya.

Some things are better off left in the past.

 

[OutrageousFacts]

The game looks like shit and I feel sad for all the fans who waited for 'this'. Suzuki should just release the rest of the story as a novel or give it to some manga artist.

 

[ROMhack]

These are gametrailers dudes. They are genuinely gamers and really passionate about it. It's not fake excitement.
Why do you think they're over the top?

Because they are?

 

[a multicultural team of v]

Lotta butthurt ITT.

 

[Shifty]

Based uncle Tim financing artsy passion projects with minimal sales potential.

That's how you run a store into the ground in 2019

 

[FranXico]

The same problem with marketing is with Yakuza series. They are extremely high quality games ruined by Sega's god awful marketing.

Well, the console exclusivity deal expired, so now Yakuza games are now going to sell to a wider audience. There's that.

 

[lock2k]

Suzuki looks like he had had the same clothes for 30 years. I dont know how rich he is.

So did Steve Jobs.

 

[Lucumo]

It was strictly targeting the fans. And the fans were on the Kickstarter.

Really? I loved the first two games but the third one was pretty off-putting from the beginning.

Also, the result was easy to predict:

Glad I'm not the only one thinking so. I consider Shenmue to be one of the best games of all time that had a very worthy successor but I have zero interest in Shenmue III and think it will be a disappointment. If they had released all the chapters back then on the Dreamcast with the same team etc, the series would have been an absolute monolith of gaming.

 

[dilbag]

So painful this shit

i still remember, those guys jumping in their chairs over last guardian (already forgotten) shenmue 3 (niche title that wont sell) and ff7 (episdoe 1 releasing in 2020).

 

[Sephimoth]

Most who were interested in Shenmue would have got the game via Kickstarter

 

[Codswallop_]

Most who were interested in Shenmue would have got the game via Kickstarter

This is pretty much it. Personally I Ioved the game, but as a niche title with archaic gameplay it was never going to attract a wider audience.

 

[Fbh]

Did anyone expect anything else?

It's an old niche franchise that most people will probably find boring. And based on every trailer, gameplay video and review I've seen they didn't try to advance or improve the formula in any significant way and just went for more of that 18 years old design and gameplay.

Anyone who was dreaming about a sequel probably got it through Kickstarter already, so at most you are going to sell some copies to curios people or the few fans that couldn't afford to support the kickstarter at the time

 

[waylo]

These are gametrailers dudes. They are genuinely gamers and really passionate about it. It's not fake excitement.
Why do you think they're over the top?

Because they jump and scream and clap and cry like children over just about every game announcement so everything they do can be turned into some gif. I fucking LOVE video games, but c'mon dude.

 

[iconmaster]

iconmaster it's over. Dreams ain't coming out this year. If it did (and this didn't wasn't a wet fart) I might've stood a chance. Good game! We should try again for contenders for 2020, the other guys gave up.

You fielded a fine team. I really expected Shenmue to net you a few more points.

I'd love to play in 2020 again. I'll see about posting a thread to garner interest.

Edit: couldn't remember the word "fielded"

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

The biggest con of this console generation. It sold poor but Yu Suzuki still grifted a shit ton of money with it.

I'm hoping he puts that towards something like a new Space Harrier instead (if he happens to have the rights to that anyway).

Shenmue III lost almost all its non-hardcore goodwill due to the Epic store and Steam controversies. Poorly managed debacles there overall. I honestly think if that hadn't happened the game would've sold better. Not magnitudes better, but noticeably better.

More worried about this staining Suzuki's reputation, honestly. The guy's made some incredible games and impacts on the industry, but this is the kind of thing that can bring reputations crashing down. Just as John Romero and Peter Molyneux. Even in their cases, I don't think their screw-ups were anywhere near as bad as what's happened here (especially Romero's, he basically got bitch-slapped for talking a big game and dropping a dud, but it didn't involve screwing fans over financially like the Shenmue III stuff seemingly has).

With all that said, I hope the people who backed the game and have played it are enjoying it. That would be something good to come out of this.

 

[Noboru Wataya]

In launch week, a niche non kickstarted prequel remaster outsold a sequel that broke Kickstarter records?

 

[Blam]

Lmao I mean it's expected it's a game nobody asked for

 

[Pejo]

Hope it was worth those EpicBux™ Yu.

I remain disappointed in the way that they handled the game after getting funded on Kickstarter. Jim Sterling actually did a pretty great video about this game.

 

[wvnative]

I actually really liked it, but saw this coming a mile away.

1. People seemed to still be expecting a AAA experience despite being a low budget kickstarter game

2. Despite liking it, the combat and grinding really brought it down a notch

3. The epic game store non-sense probably hurt a lot

4. November was a bad release time

5. Once it was funded, i saw almost zero marketing for it

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Is anyone remotely surprised?

 

[Hoya Destroyer]

I knew the series had some really dedicated fans and I always thought this new game was pretty much just for them, so Im not surprised that its sales werent great.

 

[-MD-]

I never played the originals but this never once looked appealing to me. It needed an interesting combat system or some sort of draw for people to care but they decided to just make a direct sequel (to a fault) and as a result made a game that feels 20 years old targeted at the 34 people that still remember Shenmue.

 

[Javthusiast]

I doubt investers they had will be pleased and I even more so doubt the inevitable kickstarter for shenmue 4 will do as good as the first one did. So all I'm gonna say to Yu and his 10 or whatever planned sequels in his unevolved game series is...

 

[Cravis]

They shouldn't have re-released the originals until AFTER they released III. I picked them up on cheap. Instantly regretted that decision 5 minutes into the first one.

For the record I did play the original when it was released on Dreamcast.

 

[dottme]

Also it looks like a terrible game.

I haven't got a lot of time to play it. But what I've played was ok. It's not a wow but it does the job.
and we start by interrogating villagers around and so on. It really feels like Shenmue for me.

 

[Airbus Jr]

Shanmue 3 was made for the original fans of the game which consist of how many people?

From a small userbase in Dreamcast? 1-2 million people tops? And how many of those guys still playing videogame today?


Whats your definition of success for a AA game like this?


If youre the coming here with the expectation of shenmue 3 to acomplished some FIFA of GTA worldwide numbers as ther goals to determined succes id say youre the stupid one

 

[zeorhymer]

Did they wrap up the story?

Edit: Or is he still looking for sailors?

 

[Reon]

Anybody who says Yakuza is the same as Shenmue but better has never played Shenmue.
Nobody thought this game was going to sell gangbusters, it's very clearly a niche product aimed at hardcore fans of Shenmue. These same fans of Shenmue also kickstarted the project because they are very dedicated, so they already had their copies. There aren't many new people coming into the Shenmue IP these days so of course it wasn't going to be an absolute chart topper.

That said, I'm extremely disappointed that Shenmue 3 didn't finish the story. I was going to go play 1 and 2 again prior to its release but when I found out Yu didn't even deliver the promise of a conclusion that he built the kickstarter off of it just killed all interest. I don't wanna be strung along again.

Did they wrap up the story?

Edit: Or is he still looking for sailors?

Nope gotta wait until Shenmue 4 babyyyyyyyyyy

 

[clem84]

So another 18 years for Shenmue 4?

 

[Square2015]

What about US sales?

 

[TheWanderingOgre]

Best game I played all year.

Seconded by the likes of Yakuza Kiwami 2, AC Odyssey, The Outer Worlds and Sekiro.

Not for everyone. Not a blockbuster title in terms of commercial appeal. Yet truly unique in terms of feeling and flow, and truly magical.

Bring on the next Kickstarter, Yu. We are here for it.

A work funded by the fans and made for the fans, without compromises? Best kind of work.

 

[manfestival]

The first trailer of the game was a huge red flag for me. Then I saw the after development material and just said oof. The general reception seemed to be pretty positive for some reason. Made me think I was either being too harsh or going crazy. Game releases and it just confirms what the trailers were showing. The game is a huge mess. A game stuck in time. I am sure it could be a gem for those that want the purist experience(I guess for it to be a game that should've been developed like 12 years ago). Cause it sure seems to be that way.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

I had Shenmue on the original Dreamcast... This is why I did not buy Shenmue, even if the hype made me wonder if I had some problems with my memories of the original one.

I don't like Shenmue, Yu Suzuki should work on more action oriented games.

 

[DeVeAn]

Shenmue is just one of those games that people praise cause of its pedigree, not necessarily cause they played it.

Nah. I played the series multiple times. I enjoy the slow paced gameplay.

 

[Gamezone]

I would buy it, but fuck Epic Game Store.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Shenmue III and Yu Suzuki didn't get with the times.

Back then, a game like this was unique, big, and had high level production values. Gameplay has always been stodgy and a hit and miss with gamers. I remember people criticizing QTEs 20 years ago.

Fast forward to 2019. And it seems like the same kind of game with updated graphics.

If you look at Yu's track record on WIki, the last well known games he worked on (a combo of DC and arcade Model 3 games) was about 20 years ago. His last big name game was Virtua Fighter 4 (arcade release) when PS2 just released.

 

[Mr Nash]

Played the first two on Dreamcast and was interested in this, but that Epic Game Store exclusivity turned my decision to a hard no.

 

[Bandi]

haha so glad microsoft didnt waste money on this crap and instead sony wasted a shitton of money on this flop haha niceeee

 

[fermcr]

They should have asked Epic for more money on the exclusivity deal...

 

[cucuchu]

So didn't Shenmue 3 end

Spoiler

with a complete cliff hanger?

Really makes it a damn shame there may not be a 4th, at least for the true Shenmue fans out there.

 

[Freedom Gate Co.]

So it didn't make money just like the other 2, and sold terribly in Japan just like the other two and this title did not have the eye candy excuse the first two games did either. No surprises.

Isn't this also the same kickstarter game where they cancelled the Steam version despite it being part of the kickstarter or am I getting my games mixed up?

 

[newtypepilot]

The first 2 was considered a flop too, so why is this a surprise?
In fact, you would be dumb to invest into a 3rd game in the first place.

 

[Freedom Gate Co.]

So didn't Shenmue 3 end

Spoiler

with a complete cliff hanger?

Really makes it a damn shame there may not be a 4th, at least for the true Shenmue fans out there.

Real Shenmue fans were scammed, they got a game lacking the atmosphere and action of the first two titles with limited adventure elements and subpar graphics. Now it's some generic Chinese adventure game, may as well play China Warrior on the TG16, it's more fun.

Before I forget this game also took a hit from backers who joined in for the steam version and were screwed over.

 

[Freedom Gate Co.]

Sorry, 101 fans with you included, my bad

Even the Wonderful 101 sold more than this.

That's actually kinda sad. People were jumping up and down. Some looked like they could cry. I remember the days of ShenMue too and even I was kinda thrown back by how overly excited everyone was. All that money went to the Kickstarter and the game flopped on store shelves. Everyone likes to be involved in the feeling of nostalgia, but not everyone wants to pay for it.

Actually there were 3 games people were crying and jumping around about at that E3.

Of the big 3 announcements 2 of them have turned out to be duds, so the only game left to save that E3 is Final Fantasy 7 Remake, if that's also a dud that will cause 2015 to be viewed poorly.

 

[Rean no Kiseki]

Have you seen some sailors?

Ahoy!

 

[TaroYamada]

Deep Silver's actually pleased with the performance. So my guess is the expectations for this game, from dev/pub, were pretty reasonable given it didn't chart super well. Or alternatively it's just doing a lot of sales digitally.

 

[Potato Chip PRO]

This game only released on PS4 and PC correct?