If you had told me this would happen, I would have laughed at you.
If you’ve been following E3 as I have, then you no doubt were absolutely floored when Sony announced Shenmue 3 at its press conference. The Shenmue games, while all very good, have been cult classics at best for the longest time. I don’t believe anyone could have predicted such an announcement at all. But that’s not where the story ends—things get even more interesting.
This is the Kickstarter page for Shenmue 3 as of me writing this article. Shenmue 3 has raised over $2 million as of the end of Sony’s press conference last night. It just goes to show that fans like you and me will fund titles we want to play without a second thought. Some have shown concern, though. Series producer and director Yu Suzuki stated at the 2011 Game Developer’s Conference that Shenmue had cost $47 million dollars to make. How would we be able to get a game of comparable quality with only a $2 million goal?
It seems as though there’s nothing to worry about. Sony has actually been in contact with Yu Suzuki since GDC 2014. Sony’s director of third-party relations, Gio Corsi, went on the PlayStation Live show and confirmed that Shenmue’s situation is very similar to that of Bloodstained. Most of the funding for the project will be secured from outside partners. The Kickstarter exists so that the people funding the game will know that there is fan interest.
Do you agree with this latest tactic for companies to confirm that there is interest in developing titles? Let me know in the comments.
If you are interested in funding Shenmue 3 you can do so via it’s Kickstarter page here. I know I will be. And, no worries—the game is coming to both PlayStation 4 and PC. Even people without Sony’s newest console will be able to enjoy all that Shenmue 3 will have to offer.
I hope they bring back duck racing.
Quoting from the Kickstarter website:
“Each and every Kickstarter project is the independent creation of someone like you.”
Somehow, I don’t think a major corporation is either independent or anything like me. Kickstarter is for people who don’t have the means to make their dream project come true, but it’s quickly becoming a breeding ground for questionable business ethics and fan-sanctioned disappointment.