In a press release following yesterday’s surprising news, the firm said: “This exciting transfer coincides with two momentous milestones: the 25th anniversary of the Shenmue series and the fifth anniversary of Shenmue 3. We have exciting plans to celebrate these anniversaries, ensuring that this beloved series continues to thrive and inspire. Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements as we unveil our vision for the next phase of Shenmue's legacy.”
Writing on Linked In, ININ bigwig Dennis Mendel added: “Let’s make sure that this beloved series continues to thrive and will continue to inspire future generations just as much as it has inspired us who grew up with Dreamcast.”
It’s worth noting, ININ has only acquired the publishing rights to Shenmue 3, and the intellectual property as well as the two Dreamcast originals remain owned by SEGA.
Our guess is that the publisher will probably port the threequel to more platforms, including Nintendo Switch, and will probably release a fresh batch of physical special editions under its Strictly Limited Games label.
It’d be cool to see Shenmue 3 getting a fresh round of exposure; we ultimately enjoyed the game, even if we did have issues with its pacing and structure. With the story not really progressing, though, what we really need is for Yu Suzuki to find a way to make Shenmue 4.
[source linkedin.com]
by Sammy Barker