[agamil]

In a recent Reddit Q&A session, Yu Suzuki said:

If the fans are not happy with 3 there will not be a 4. So I please hope we can together make this game the best it can be.

I'm torn about this. While I'd love there to be more then one one Shenmue game and see the story unfold as Yu originally intended, I'm petrified that we'll end up in the same situation we've been in for the last 14 years if it's not a commercial success. I truly believe it could be and will be a success... but if it isn't, we're in trouble. And it'll be worse than before because people will be like "We/you tried and it didn't work, forget about it".

Guess he could always finish the story as a comic or anime if that does happen.

Your thoughts on this subject guys?

[jameswalker85]

This is our chance. If Shenmue III isn't well-received,  there will be no 4. But we will know where we stand. We are being forewarned. I'm sure Yu would find a way of getting the story completed in that case.

[ElTotor]

Please, please, please, end the story with Shenmue 3, please! I've been waiting for 14 years and almost cried when I heard it will be finally possible to play shenmue3.
But please, end the story with Shenmue 3! I don't want to feel the same thing I felt at this time, I don't want to have to wait again for something that could never happen!
I don't know if you're 100% sure you will be able to make Shenmue 4 and 5 but if you don't: end the story with the 3rd!
Be realistic, don't be crazy! Shenmue fans may not be here all the time, other gamers won't probably like it, Yu Suzuki is not immortal anyway! Don't make a mistake, end that story with Shenmue 3 and everybody will still love you! Don't feel you can do everything now that you have 4 millions on Kickstarter, it may not happen again.
Be realistic, thanks the fans, just make one last and final Shenmue, please!

[xiuying hong is brill]

At first I thought the same as some of you guys, but the more I've thought about it the more I agree with Yu's stance of trying to fulfill as true a version of his original vision as he can. Because while I can understand some people's concern, surely if given the choice that's what we all want too, and we'd all find ourselves bitterly disappointed if Shenmue 3 turned out to be a rushed job with a pace not true to the spirit of it's predecessors and not true to Yu's vision, just for the sake of  giving the fans closure. As much as we've all been a part of making this Shenmue 3 Kickstarter a reality, this is Yu Suzuki's story and he should tell it in the way he sees fit.

One of the greatest things about the first two games is it's pacing; refusing at all times to rush, always going at it's own pace. That's the what makes the games feel so epic and unique, and that should not be compromised out of fear of not getting another chance. Because who are any of us to say that Yu won't get a chance at Shenmue 4 and 5, and that 3 won't be a big success? And to be honest, even in the worst case scenario where he doesn't get that chance, I'd still rather have a faithful 3rd game that was true to his vision, even if I never get closure. The journey is more important than the destination in Shenmue.

[ElTotor]

Pace is a way of telling a story, the rythme you give to it. But, the story itself could be more or less short or long without interfering with the pace. That's too different things and you can tell almost any story in two pages as in 200 hundreds as sometimes in 2 lines. Ryo could have defeated Lan Di at the end of the 1st Shenmue as at the end of the 2nd. The only difference is what you tell between the begining and the end, what is the journey of your character. Of course, as you said, a big part of Shenmue is the journey, the way this Young and a bit stubborn Ryo learn how life is as he learn how martial art is. But you can tell it in a different way, a short way or a long way without affecting the pace.
Anyway, when you make art or when you create stuff as movies or video games, you're not just alone pleasing yourself in your home. You're making something for the audience and you obey to some constraints. If you have a chance to tell your story (a lot of people don't have this chance or fight everyday to have it) you don't act childishly. I mean I don't want to offence Mr Suzuki and I don't know how he felt during those years without making shenmue's sequels and I'm not saying he owns fans something. I'm just saying that sometimes you have to adapt, you have to deal with what's around, you can't be blind to what the world shows you or deaf to what everybody is telling you. Unless you know something we don't, for example that in fact you don't really need the crowdfunding because Sony already gives you 100 000 000 dollars to make 2 or 3 games, unless something like that, I don't know how you can imagine you will be able to make another kickstarter campaign for other Shenmue games. I mean, I'd love you'll be right, I'd love that Shenmue 3 will be a massive success that gives you all oportunities to make all the games you want. But You or Yu have/has to realise that the chances are really, really small! A lot of people don't like games like Shenmue with its particular pace and story etc. A lot of people wants to play GTA, witcher and Call of Duy. I hope I'm wrong but I'm not really sure that you will sell enough Shenmue 3 to make another so take the chance offered to you and do you best but don't dream! Be realistic! (Of course, if you already know that Sony or someone gave you millions to make 3 games, what I said may sound funny). What I say is more than just the wish of a fan who wants to know the end of Shenmue, it's also an advice I give.
And please forgive my terrible English. I'm a french guy so I'm not a native speaker. And I repeat, I would love to have Shenmue 3, 4 and 5 if it was possible, just I don't think it will happen...

[James]

I think Yu does have something up his sleeve, and that's confidence in his ability. Now that he's not limited to an ill-fated platform like the Dreamcast there's no reason not to believe that Shenmue III can sell well enough to merit another sequel in a world that supports Quantic Dream, Telltale Games, Deadly Premonition and Life is Strange.

[xiuying hong is brill]

Anyway, when you make art or when you create stuff as movies or video games, you're not just alone pleasing yourself in your home. You're making something for the audience and you obey to some constraints. If you have a chance to tell your story (a lot of people don't have this chance or fight everyday to have it) you don't act childishly.

Imagine trying to tell an author how many books they should have in a series, or how many pages their book should be. The idea is ridiculous to me. It's his creation.

but don't dream! Be realistic!

People have literally been saying this to us for years, that we should stop dreaming because Shenmue 3 was never going to happen apparently. But now here we are.


I completely agree with what James said too. And the fact that Yu has such belief in both himself and Shenmue, is a wonderful thing. After 14 years of Shenmue's unfinished status hanging over your head, I imagine for anyone else it would be tempting to just to phone in a Shenmue 3, cram the remaining chapters all into one game to give the fans closure and get them off your back. But clearly Yu hasn't been jaded or deterred by these last 14 years, and wants to achieve more than that. And I for one and very thankful.

[agamil]

I've been thinking about this a lot recently and I've come to the conclusion that it's best to leave Yu Suzuki to do it the way he thinks it should be done. Even if that means no closure for Shenmue fans in 3. If it's not a success, then we can campaign for a Shenmue anime or something

As you can see from my first post above, I was pretty torn about it (and probably still am a little bit) but now I'm leaning towards the idea of him making it the way it was always intended as that is the story we really want.

[agamil]

This is a quote from the twitch interview recap from the man himself.

The initial story line contains 11 chapters. I thought about condensing the story in 3, but I thought that necessitate cutting too much of the story out, so I decided not to go that route. Many fans really want to see the whole story.

[ElTotor]

I think Yu does have something up his sleeve, and that's confidence in his ability. Now that he's not limited to an ill-fated platform like the Dreamcast there's no reason not to believe that Shenmue III can sell well enough to merit another sequel in a world that supports Quantic Dream, Telltale Games, Deadly Premonition and Life is Strange.

Yes but Deadly premonition, life is strange or talltale games don't cost the same as Shenmue! Quantic Dream games cost a lot but Sony is clearly behind this and I'm not sure they don't lost money from it. Shenmue was a AAA during the Dreamcast erea, it was the best game ever made at this time! Today it's still nice and still cost a lot I presume...

[ElTotor]

Imagine trying to tell an author how many books they should have in a series, or how many pages their book should be. The idea is ridiculous to me. It's his creation.

This is not ridiculous, it's exactly how it happens most of the time except for great wellknown and bankable authors. Creation is, by the way, something you share with people so you need a media. A book is cheap to produce and just consume time to one guy, the writer. Making a movie or a video game is much more complicated and so it's not just "creation".

Anyway, if I could give millions to be sure Yu will be able to make 3 more games I would! In a perfect world I totaly agree that Shenmue 3 deserve to reach millions of sells and to have sequels. Just, personaly, I find it very risky to believe that and I hope I'm wrong but I'm afraid that, in 14 years, we will still be talking about Shenmue 4

[Giorgio]

but don't dream! Be realistic!

People have literally been saying this to us for years, that we should stop dreaming because Shenmue 3 was never going to happen apparently. But now here we are.

Amen and I see.

[uphonix]

From the beginning, Shenmue was supposed to be a 4 part series. I say let it ride out. Honestly, WE THE FANS will raise another Kickstarter miracle as soon as/if it were to be announced.

Besides, who wants a rushed story? :/