Shenmue III may be getting some stick of late for its rather unusual character models, but as fans of the first two games on the Sega Dreamcast, we can't wait to play this third outing.
It would seem that a great many people feel the same way, and as a result we're getting into "wishful thinking" territory when it comes to the platforms the game will launch on.
During a recent interview, designer Yu Suzuki was asked if the game would be coming to Switch - a rather unusual question given that Sony is part-funding the game's production, marketing, and publishing (the only confirmed console release is for the PS4, unsurprisingly).
Gameblog: When Shenmue III was announced back in 2015, it was slated for PS4 and PC. Since then, the Switch was released – it’s a hit and players ask for every game on Switch. Is it possible, and not necessarily in 2018, for Shenmue III to be released on Switch?”
Suzuki: It’s classified information (laughs).
(We were starting to ask the next question when Yu Suzuki interrupts)
Suzuki: Excuse me, wait a second. Regarding Switch, I would like to say that nothing is planned for the moment.
While it may well be that the agreement with Sony only secures timed exclusivity for Shenmue III on PS4, it's perhaps unwise to expect it to release on any console other than Sony's. However, we expect the more optimistic fans out there will take Suzuki's rather vague response as all the evidence they need that a Switch release is incoming.
It's an odd reversal of the merry Twitter dance which regularly sees PS4-owning Bayonetta fans pestering PlatinumGames' Hideki Kamiya for a PS4 sequel before getting blocked by him (Nintendo has funded the past two Bayonetta titles, so they are understandably exclusive to Nintendo's consoles).
Do you think we'll ever see Shenmue III on Switch, or do you suspect Sony's involvement will lock down the game as a PS4 exclusive forever? Let us know with a comment.
[source gameblog.fr, via nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 40
Something something facial animations, something something inferior graphical capabilities.
The first two Shenmues were funded by Sega, so..
@pAq As is this third one - at least partly, anyway.
Sony are funding this. Of course it'll be PS4 only for consoles.
If you want to read a little deeper and put the tinfoil hats on, "At the moment" could mean Sony's funding merely secures timed exclusivity.
I have stopped holding my breath for games announced on other platforms and I'm concentrating on supporting / playing the games we do get. It's much healthier. Switch is my favourite games console ever (didn't think I would say that ever lol) and I would rather have a positive community celebrating what ace games the system has, as opposed to a negative Nancy community bemoaning what other systems are getting. If it releases, then naturally I would be happy (and even hope they release the other 2 games lol) but if it doesn't...then I'll be too busy playing Metroid Prime 4 (or whatever) to be really bothered. We shall see.
Was never the biggest fan of the Shenmue games. Some good ideas but never executed perfectly.
He's very vague.
Why should he be so vague if it was impossible?
Tons of games were timed exclusives in the past, there us nothing "tinfoil hat" about it.
However, i'd rather have a Yakuza game anyway.
@Damo you‘re right Sega is still the property right owner of Shenmue, and Shibuya and Sony were given the license. My bet is, all will be available on the switch at some point. Let’s say 2020?
Suspicious. Why laugh it off, then wait and correct it again? Suspicious
It's also on PC. Sony are also only handling both the marketing and publishing of only the PS4 version
@Damo Except Sega aren't funding this in any way.
@Menchi187
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-09-08-sitting-down-with-shenmue-3-and-yu-suzuki
"Sony is also still supporting us. Sega too, in fact! I shouldn't forget about them."
Nah, I'll pick it up on PC, although the character models REALLY need some work. They look so weird, they're throwing me out of the game.
As with most games made by third parties they will eventually make their way to other consoles. I could see a shenmue trilogy becoming a thing at some point in the future.
@Yasaal I'm with you. Why bother interrupting the interviewer to say that unless you wanted to explicitly leave the door ajar for ports to other consoles?
@GrailUK
While I do understand and to a certain degree agree with what you are saying, I however, think all information whether positive or negative should be welcomed on this site. Life is not all roses (please don't think I am giving a lecture, I am not).
I am with you 100% in terms that we should get a lot less (if any) of what is NOT coming to the Switch.
I'd rather focus on what IS coming to the Switch but realistically there is not that much news about such to keep a site going unless you keep going over the same old news.
"It's Bayonetta in reverse"
Of course, because Sony payed for that stuff. And it still has to prove that it's not vaporware anyways...
If Sony are funding this they profit from game sales. Shenmue isn’t big enough to be limited to one console. Should be on all three plus PC.
@Damo Support doesn't equal funding
@Hotfusion You are probably right mate. I was just saying I'm not going to get my knickers in a twist over it lol. I appreciate there is not just me reads this site and I can imagine there are a fair number of folk gutted by the news. Same as if they interviewed Jeff Minter and he said Tempest 4K has no plans for Switch.
@Menchi187 Who said anything about equal funding? You said Sega didn't put any money in, but from what's been said (and what we know of the deal), they're supporting the game alongside Sony.
Something something sailors
This should be an obvious scenario, but how it was negotiated sounds puzzling. PS4 and PC? I don't think anyone's expecting Bayonetta 2 on PC. How did Sony fund so much of the game only to get "timed console exclusivity" out of it?
And then conspirologists claim they paid Capcom through the nose merely to keep MHW off the Switch, lol.
...at the moment.
Why didnt ask about shenmue 1 and 2?
@nhSnork They didn't. It's known that Sony are only paying for distribution of the ps4 version and marketing. It's developed from Kickstarter funds
Tsk.... Sony's arogance.
I still have mixed feeling before i buy PS4 Slim White on Sunday 1 April 2018.
@Fuz definitely day 1 if it was announced but swap hang on for super hang on 😀
Always wanted to play the games on Dreamcast and Xbox. Never got the chance unfortunately. This 3rd game isn’t really clicking with me yet. It was a big fuss when it was announced at E3 in 2015 though.
In an ideal world Nintendo would have slipped under the radar and put in a bid for a Switch version... (laughs)
Would LOVE to see the first two see a release on Switch
@Gamer83 they were executed beyond perfectly. That was the point.
Shenmue brought real 3D worlds to gaming well before anything else.
What came out on other formats the same year as Shenmue????
Clue, PS2 and XBox weren’t even out yet and the competing formats were N64 and PsOne. Now how far ahead was Shenmue compared to GTA3 that failed to execute anything even remotely perfectly
First, I want the remasters of 1 and 2.
Second, I want 3 to actually release.
Third, I want it to be good.
So as a distant fourth, I want the game on Switch.
I'm fully expecting to this also releasing on the Xbox One, considering its history and the current quotes, it leaves too much open for a definitive answer regarding it being a definite PS4 exclusive. Timed exclusive, yes but not indefinitely.
A Switch version, though? Not really expecting that...
He said i won't end with Shenmue 3 so maybe we get Shenmue 4 on switch lol.
Personally I think they should have went the Megaman 9 route and made a game that looks just like the Dreamcast games. Even better if it could actually run on the Dreamcast and they release it on that as well.
I’d be much more interested to see what they could have squeezed out of that system with an extra 15 years of wisdom. A technical wonder and a look at what could have been vs a game that probably won’t be anything remarkable compared to it what exists in this day and age.
I’m not up on the Dreamcast hacking scene but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a demake put out someday by some determined fans.
Terrible new. Be nice to see this on switch at some point. Hopefully they will port Shenmue 1&2 for the switch while we wait for 3 to show up.
Honestly Yakuza (Ryu ga Gotoku) took the Shenmue formula and refined it to near perfection. I'm curious about Ryo's final romp but I'm less and less compelled to buy it when I have Yakuza games (and the new Hokuto no Ken spin off) to beat. At this rate I would need a trilogy pack to jump in even on Ps4.
@Fuz i'd love some Sega RPG-collection (Phantasy Star, Shining Force, Dragon Force (RTS but still), Skies of Arcadia, etc.) on Switch.
Just play it on PS4. As long as it comes out on SOMETHING - Ill be happy.
I'd gladly trade away Bayonetta anytime for Shenmue.
Maybe I should dust off the ol' Dreamer and replay the first two games.
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