Shenmue fans are indeed to be congratulated. Very few video game fans have been so determined in their efforts to keep a cult hit alive. Their latest act: renting a video board in New York’s Times Square to demand that publishing partners team up with series creator YS Net to deliver Shenmue 4.
As IGN reportedSmall ads in downtown Manhattan can still cost as little as $40, so it’s not like this was a powerful crowdfunding campaign like the one that raised millions in 2015 and delivered Shenmue 3 in 2019. It’s still an impressive gesture of loyalty to a video game series that got the classic game trending on X (formerly Twitter) and garnered a lot of mainstream attention.
During our live broadcast #Shenmue Day stream, #letshenmue4meet They rocked the streets of New York with a 15-second long ad on Times Square! 🏙️
Shenmue fans do some crazy things to get recognized…are you watching @sega @SEGA_OFFICIAL? pic.twitter.com/gzfLzQWZb9
— Shenmue Dojo 🐉 (@Shenmue_Dojo) June 4, 2024
The campaign began after series creator Yu Suzuki Gave an interview in early May In which he said he’s open to Shenmue 4, provided a publishing partner is found. That’s exactly what Shenmue fans needed to hear. The hashtag #LetsGetShenmue4 began trending on Tuesday, thanks to a coordinated social media campaign led by fansite Shenmue Dojo.
Why is Shenmue so popular?
For those who aren’t familiar with the game, Shenmue (1999) and its sequel Shenmue II (2001) were action-adventures based on the story of main character Ryo Hazuki. Originally a martial arts fighting game, Shenmue and its sequel were early exponents of the modern open-world approach, going on to present a story about Ryo’s life that required players to drive forklifts and perform other odd jobs, as well as visit arcades to buy gachapon toys or play classic Sega arcade cabinets. Shenmue is widely praised for its approach of leaving no detail about Ryo’s life too small.
Shenmue and Shenmue II were also closely associated with the Sega Dreamcast, the last console the company produced, which is still revered (and mourned) by hardcore video game enthusiasts since it was discontinued in 2001. They kept the torch burning for the series for nearly 15 years until Suzuki attended PlayStation’s E3 2015 keynote to announce a crowdfunding effort to create Shenmue 3. It raised its initial goal of $2 million in less than nine hours after the initial announcement, and went on to raise over $7 million to help develop a game that eventually launched on PlayStation 4 and Windows PC in 2019.
Shenmue 3 received an average to puzzling reception from critics, but Shenmue fans enjoyed the delivery of the long-awaited sequel, as well as the kind of fan service it represented and their grassroots victory in getting it published. Clearly they’re feeling that same excitement again with this latest campaign. And who could really be unhappy with that kind of enthusiasm?
However, we’ll see if a publisher takes the lead. Deep Silver was the publisher of Shenmue III, and its parent company Embracer Group has taken it over. Shocked by layoffs and made several expensive bets on licensed titles that didn’t come to fruition. Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 sold by studio/publisher Saber Interactive And Split into three spinoff companies It’s part of an overall cost-saving strategy aimed at appeasing restless investors.
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