In a recent video interview with French fan site Shenmue Master, Yu Suzuki revealed that he still hopes to get Shenmue III produced and on store shelves, even if it means moving the series away from Sega. In the interview (which is in Japanese with French subtitles), Suzuki stated the current status of the situation as follows:
Shenmue‘s license is an IP that belongs to Sega…We can obtain the license from Sega.
Additionally, Suzuki briefly touched on plot details for the game, showing a picture of a mysterious new character and stating:
This is the person who has trained with Iwao [Hazuki] in the olden days in China. Then, in the story that will take place after Shenmue II, he will become a ‘key’ character.
Since its original release in 1999, the Shenmue series has received praise from community members and critics alike, despite Sega pulling its support after the second installment due to its lack of profitability. The series’ dedicated fan base has waited over ten years for the third game, and they may find some comfort in the fact that the series’ creator is still just as eager to deliver that product.
Shenmue‘s license is an IP that belongs to Sega…We can obtain the license from Sega.
Additionally, Suzuki briefly touched on plot details for the game, showing a picture of a mysterious new character and stating:
This is the person who has trained with Iwao [Hazuki] in the olden days in China. Then, in the story that will take place after Shenmue II, he will become a ‘key’ character.
Since its original release in 1999, the Shenmue series has received praise from community members and critics alike, despite Sega pulling its support after the second installment due to its lack of profitability. The series’ dedicated fan base has waited over ten years for the third game, and they may find some comfort in the fact that the series’ creator is still just as eager to deliver that product.
