The Kickstarter campaign to get Shenmue III in development has successfully closed. However, donations for the #SaveShenmue cause are still welcome on the official Team Yu website via Paypal.
Yu Suzuki's appeal to have Shenmue III realized has been a success in many ways. The Shenmue III Kickstarter campaign broke new records as it closed out last week with just above $6.3M from 69,320 pledges. Sony has also been confirmed to be backing Shenmue III. There is little to no doubt that there are more third-party backers that will offer to fund the game's creation that will remain anonymous. IGN's official report on the crowdfunding campaign for Shenmue III contains a short trailer from the official reveal at last month's E3.
Shenmue III is now officially the most crowdfunded videogame in Kickstarter history, as well as holding the fastest game project to reach and surpass the $1M mark. The initial target was at $2M but the enthusiasm for the game quickly surpassed that in just under nine hours after the crowdfunding was launched. Yu Suzuki's team of developers have since made the decision to push the target goal to $11M and should continue to accept donations through the official Team Yu website. The website will most assuredly be updated once details become available. Be careful and verify information first before deciding to make a donation.
Many are pushing for the return of Shenmue since it paved the way for true open world video games. Yu Suzuki's technical prowess and shines through even today. The environment alone is a wonder to behold. Characters, environment, and the mundane perfectly mirror the everyday meanderings of one living in a small town province, making the game a true artistic endeavor. The Guardian's in-depth analysis of the classic open world environment of the carefully crafted video game would make any gamer want to try it out for themselves. It truly is no wonder that many fans of the game would want to have the next chapter brought to life in today's golden age of gaming.
Shenmue III is currently in development using the Unreal Enging 4 and is anticipated to release on PS4 by 2017.
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