Shenmue 3? Perhaps. . . ign article

[Jrecee]

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/113/1134326p1.html

[Incognito D]

There seems to have been a lot of positive news recently and I can't help but feel that the tide is finally starting to turn and we may just see Shenmue III one day.
Shame that it would appear that Shenmue City is Japan only 'cos I'd definitely try it out if I had the opportunity. Hopefully it proves to be popular and as a result Shenmue III can come to fruition.

[Retrozoa]

Sorry to be that guy, but nope, never gonna happen. Sure would be nice if it did, but I doubt it.

I mean, as an example, I love Megaman Legends, so Legends 3 actually coming out is amazing, but for one thing, Megaman has more overall exposure, and for another, the legends series didnt completely bomb, costing their creators tens of millions. Even then, it's only getting a handheld release. The cold hard fact is that while Shenmue was amazing as a game, as a product it was an insanely bad investment and still is, even more so nowadays. Not many people would buy it and it would cost a fortune. No company would put money in that.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Come on Sega, just one more round of pre-sammy buyout awesomeness.

[Original_Name]

Sorry to be that guy, but nope, never gonna happen. Sure would be nice if it did, but I doubt it.

I mean, as an example, I love Megaman Legends, so Legends 3 actually coming out is amazing, but for one thing, Megaman has more overall exposure, and for another, the legends series didnt completely bomb, costing their creators tens of millions. Even then, it's only getting a handheld release. The cold hard fact is that while Shenmue was amazing as a game, as a product it was an insanely bad investment and still is, even more so nowadays. Not many people would buy it and it would cost a fortune. No company would put money in that.

This is what I love about Sega -- their creativity was so mighty that the world of economics isn't built to sustain them. Their bone-headedness sped things up, of course, but the fact of the matter was that the some of the biggest causes of their demise involved their ambition exceeding profitability. I'd love to see Sega be their kamikaze selves again for a while, even if it means another decade of waiting for them to heal themselves back up once more:



Yes, I'm being totally sensationalist here, but Sega should pull an "I'd rather be dead than alive by your design".

Bring on the non-profitability!

[BogusMeatFactory]

Sorry to be that guy, but nope, never gonna happen. Sure would be nice if it did, but I doubt it.

I mean, as an example, I love Megaman Legends, so Legends 3 actually coming out is amazing, but for one thing, Megaman has more overall exposure, and for another, the legends series didnt completely bomb, costing their creators tens of millions. Even then, it's only getting a handheld release. The cold hard fact is that while Shenmue was amazing as a game, as a product it was an insanely bad investment and still is, even more so nowadays. Not many people would buy it and it would cost a fortune. No company would put money in that.

Quote for Truth...........What we are getting, instead of Shenmue 3 is Shenmue Town, the Farmville-esque social game..........After the Sega Super-Stars Racing fiasco, the rotting, sexual fluid covered Ryo corpse gets used for another round YAY!

[Dakinggamer87]

SEGA please release Shenmue 3!!

[Incognito D]

Sorry to be that guy, but nope, never gonna happen. Sure would be nice if it did, but I doubt it.

I mean, as an example, I love Megaman Legends, so Legends 3 actually coming out is amazing, but for one thing, Megaman has more overall exposure, and for another, the legends series didnt completely bomb, costing their creators tens of millions. Even then, it's only getting a handheld release. The cold hard fact is that while Shenmue was amazing as a game, as a product it was an insanely bad investment and still is, even more so nowadays. Not many people would buy it and it would cost a fortune. No company would put money in that.

I can't help but be a lot more hopeful. First of all, isn't it true to say that Shenmue didn't actually bomb? Sales were actually good - it was just that the cost of development was far too high in relation to the sales. Most expensive game ever made ($70m) until GTA4 came along, I believe. Couldn't we see some sort of compromise?
Secondly, if the series is as dead as everyone thinks, why are they even bothering with Shenmue City? At the very least it suggests that Sega still have the franchise in their thoughts.

Finally, I have been charting the developments on Shenmue III so far this year (I get bored at work, okay!? ):

1.2.10 Sega still "thinks a lot about Shenmue" http://www.computerandvideogames.com/ar ... ?id=233220

7.10.10 Shenmue City announced
http://sunsoft.jp/shenmue-gai/index2.html

2.11.10 Sega: "Never say Never" on Shenmue III http://www.computerandvideogames.com/ar ... ?id=273174

16.11.10 Yu Suzuki declares interest in making Shenmue III http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2010/1 ... interview/

17.11.10 Yu Suzuki re-iterates interest in making Shenmue III http://www.computerandvideogames.com/ar ... ?id=276117

I can't help but feel encouraged - although I stop short of getting my hopes up, that would just be stupid!

[Reprise]

Sorry to be that guy, but nope, never gonna happen. Sure would be nice if it did, but I doubt it.

I mean, as an example, I love Megaman Legends, so Legends 3 actually coming out is amazing, but for one thing, Megaman has more overall exposure, and for another, the legends series didnt completely bomb, costing their creators tens of millions. Even then, it's only getting a handheld release. The cold hard fact is that while Shenmue was amazing as a game, as a product it was an insanely bad investment and still is, even more so nowadays. Not many people would buy it and it would cost a fortune. No company would put money in that.

I can't help but be a lot more hopeful. First of all, isn't it true to say that Shenmue didn't actually bomb? Sales were actually good - it was just that the cost of development was far too high in relation to the sales. Most expensive game ever made ($70m) until GTA4 came along, I believe.!

Exactly! I always hear people saying "it's never going to happen, Shenmue BOMBED!" - Well, no it didn't actually. It's just it didn't sell too well in comparison to the development costs, which as you said, were the most expensive ever for a game at that time. That said, that often quoted $70 million (I think) actually includes much of the costs for BOTH Shenmue 1 AND 2, and it's possible for even some of Shenmue 3. They spent huge amounts just on research and on the basic structure for the game. It's not like developing Shenmue 3 is going to cost that much again. And Shenmue 1 was actually the second or third best selling game on the Dreamcast I believe and I've heard Shenmue 2 is the most imported game in the US (not entirely sure if that is true mind, it's just what someone else told me).

That said, I'm not saying I'm all optimistic about Shenmue 3 ever coming out. In fact, I honestly don't ever believe it will. I'm just trying to say that Shenmue isn't the "huge" flop and failure that so many people try to paint it as.

[Jrecee]

The success of the Yakuza games might make an impact too. They seemed similar.