What you need to know
- Shenmue III releases on November 19th, 2019 after an 18-year long gap since its predecessor.
- It was funded through Kickstarter.
- Its launch trailer is a wistful trip down memory lane.
- It is set to launch on PS4 and PC, but leaks have hinted at an Xbox One version.
After being in development hell for over a decade, passionate fans have resurrected Shenmue III through Kickstarter, and it's finally about to release after 18 long years since Shenmue II. Just goes to show that fan enthusiam — and money — counts for something. Mostly the money.
Ahead of its release on November 19th, Deep Silver has dropped a launch trailer taking us on a trip down memory lane of the iconic series, and giving us a glimpse of what we can look forward to. The trailer references the 18-year wait by stating that "18 years ago the clock stopped," but "passions never waver."
If you're worried about not being caught up on the adventure, Shenmue III will include a "recap digest" movie so you don't feel lost for not having played the first two games. Game Director Yu Suzuki wants this game to be accessible to everyone, not just longtime fans.
Shenmue is is currently set to launch on PlayStation 4 and PC via the Epic Games Store. Though Deep Silver denies that an Xbox One version is in the works, it's own website accidentally listed an Xbox One pre-order for the game back in June before being pulled. Nothing is confirmed, but don't be surprised if you see it on Microsoft's console sometime in the future.
Kickstarter works sometimes!
Shenmue III managed to raise over $6 million to get the game created, one of the most backed games in history. Can it live up to the hype? We will have to wait and see.
