Ello Dojo ^.^
So I stumbled across something interesting today that I thought I should share with you guys and get your opinion on. I frequent a website called eventhubs that focuses on fighting game news. I was attracted to this link because it mentioned a new Virtua Fighter game was rumored to be in development, but what really piqued my interest was number 8 on this list. Here is the link to the post that I'm referring to, I'll be continuing this post under the assumption that you've read number 8 on this posting, but I will still paste that little blurb below the link
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.ph ... tcount=178
8. Another unnamed IP which is coming to Playstation exclusively from Sega should hopefully be announced next year. It's had teething issues which seems to be making it take longer than I thought, as have most other projects on current gen to be fair from the looks of it, but I'm happy to mention it again because it looks like we might finally get an announcement next year. I'm hoping at least. This one's not a fighting game.
Before I go any further into this I would like to point out that I've done my research and this isn't just a posting from some random guy on Neogaf. The poster Verendus has leaked a couple of big things a good 3-4 days before big shows such as E3 and TGS. He is responsible for revealing Final Fantasy XV's (formerly Final Fantasy Versus XIII) new name and platform change shortly E3 2013, he also brought up the possibility of the Demon/Dark Souls team working on a new IP due to a new studio taking over development of Dark Souls II. Judging from these ahead of schedule reveals and with how the wording on this list is, it sounds like this person has a small bit of inside knowledge within the industry due to whatever reasons. However, I would also like to note that he HAS been wrong before so please take what I have to say with a grain of salt, just as I am even with proposing this idea.
I personally feel that while it may be vague I feel like there is a small chance that the title being referred to coming from Sega to PS4 is Shenmue...something, be it HD/HD Remakes or III. I feel this way because Sega hasn't really announced any new IP's in the last few years. Sega would have no trouble getting a new Sonic or Hatsune Miku game (even though they just publish those) so I doubt its either of them. The next biggest franchise after those two for Sega currently (aside from future Atlus titles) Is the Yakuza series. However I do not believe it is related to the Yakuza series because Yakuza 5 was just recently announced to be getting a western release, and as a result it was leaked that Yakuza Zero will be getting a western release as well. Yakuza Zero won't even be out until March in Japan so the odds of it being a new Yakuza title are quite low. With Sega's big money makers already set on their paths for at least 2-3 games if not more its fairly safe to say that Sega will either be resurrecting something old that's been dead for years or they've created something ENTIRELY new for a new IP (which I highly doubt because well...post DC era Sega SUCKS!). Now granted this title could be anything older really, I.e: Streets of Rage 4, Shinobi, Jet Set Radio, Chu Chu Rocket, Crazy Taxi....really anything if they want to make a ton of money for not too much work and investment on their behalf. But with all of the good news we've had this last year and Suzuki still seeking the funding on top of Sony really being the only company interested in Shenmue to at least a somewhat serious point, who knows perhaps its finally our time guys. I know the odds of this mysterious title being Shenmue related are pretty slim, but I would still like to hear what you guys think about this small finding.
Even if it turns out to be nothing I feel like 2014 was a VERY good year for us Shenmue fans and we made a very good showing this year. I look forward to seeing what 2015 holds for the future of Shenmue ^.^. I plan on making a couple of other big posts before the end of the month, one a small theory and the other regarding what we would all perhaps like to see within the future and where the series needs to go to become successful like it deserves.
Happy holidays to all