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Quick Timed Event to #SaveShenmue

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This Wednesday, July 15th, will see a brand new campaign event in aid of promoting the Shenmue III Kickstarter .

The #SaveShenmue Quick Timed Event (QTE) offers a new twist on the social media blitz that assisted Shenmue's return, and will take only seconds for each fan to complete upon its synchronized worldwide launch. 14 participants, including the first ten, will also be entered into a prize raffle for added incentive.
by Team Yu
Sun Jul 12, 2015 4:03 pm
 
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Re: Quick Timed Event to #SaveShenmue

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With the Shenmue III Kickstarter now raising over $4.8 million in pledges and well on its way to the next stretch goal before Friday's deadline, it's time to reveal the prize for this Wednesday's #SaveShenmue Quick Timed Event!

If you're donating $100 or more to fund Shenmue III, you'll already be seeing your name in the credits of the game. But what if you could add your best friend at no extra cost? Or the family member that introduced you to Shenmue all those years ago? Your names would be together forever, immortalized in the most significant video game sequel of our lifetimes.

That's what you're able to win this Wednesday. Two #SaveShenmue campaigners have sacrified their place in the credits to reward one lucky winner with this rare opportunity.

The first ten participants in the QTE, plus four random others, will be entered into a drawing for the prize. Details on how to participate are at TeamYu.net/QTE

Good luck to us all in what we hope will be a week that sees Shenmue III become the most funded video game in Kickstarter history. Thank you for all your support!
by Team Yu
Tue Jul 14, 2015 6:16 pm
 
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#SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon

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On August 3rd the first #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon takes place, evolving from the #SaveShenmue campaign that culminated with the recent Shenmue 3 Kickstarter.

Focusing on the need expressed by both Yu Suzuki and the fans for Sega to re-release Shenmue 1 & 2 ahead of Shenmue 3's launch, the Tweetathon lasts all day on the 3rd of each month using the new hashtag, and includes a mass simultaneous AutoTweet of messages stored in advance at TeamYu.net/HD , where you can learn more about the campaign.
by Team Yu
Sun Jul 26, 2015 1:18 pm
 
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Re: #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon

Thanks Tony, it's a perfectly valid point and one that we deliberated over when writing that open letter.

Like any open letter though, the target audience isn't so much the addressee, but more the public. We don't expect anybody of any consequence at Sega to read those words. If we thought it was worth contacting them directly then we would, and we'd do it in Japanese (with help, certainly!). But the intent of that page is to light a fire under fans and motivate them into action, which is all Team Yu has ever done. We're the world's worst dressed cheerleaders for the community at large.

It's very likely to be something we tweak and adjust as time goes by however, so please do keep the feedback coming.
by Team Yu
Sun Jul 26, 2015 3:56 pm
 
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Tweetathon & Submit Your Questions for Yu Suzuki

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Lasting all day Monday is the #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon, with Shenmue fans gathering to make themselves heard on the 3rd.

As a special part of this event, French super fan De ville David would like to announce an opportunity for the community to utilize that unity, by pooling ideas for an upcoming interview he has scheduled with Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki.

Over to David to explain - in English, French, and Japanese!
by Team Yu
Mon Aug 03, 2015 12:56 am
 
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Re: #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon

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The first ever #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon is in the books, and with great relief we can say it looked a lot like every previous incarnation of the event.

We'll admit it, we were concerned - we didn't know how well the new hashtag would take hold, or how many people still had the spirit to fight on when the main battle was won. But as you always do, you proved the doubters wrong. Word spread with ease and August 3rd was awash with demand to re-release the games that started it all.

We can't begin to say how proud we are of the Shenmue fanbase for its commitment to see this through until every last wrong has been righted, every loose thread sewn up. How easy it would be to sit back and relax now that Shenmue III has been confirmed. To let others worry about restoring the original games for new fans. We're alright, Jack - we've already played them.

But a new generation awaits, who have yet to experience the magic of Shenmue 1 & 2 that has captivated and enchanted so many fans at such a deep, unshakeable level that even fourteen years later, Shenmue was able to be saved.

And if those of us who understand the importance of these unique titles don't do everything in our power to make them accessible to new players, then who will?

Shenmue III was made possible by a groundswell of public support, and with your continued help, the same irresistable force will find a crack in the immovable object known as Sega. Shenmue will be reborn on modern platforms and a new audience will discover what we've all known for a decade and a half.

That the story NEEDED to go on.

Thank you so much for your participation and we look forward to seeing you out there again on September 3rd, securing Shenmue's future by sharing and celebrating its past.

TeamYu.net/HD
by Team Yu
Tue Aug 04, 2015 4:30 pm
 
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Shenmue 3 reignites Dreamcast sales

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This Thursday, September 3rd, the #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon continues the monthly tradition of Shenmue fans campaigning for the ultimate revival of Yu Suzuki's classic franchise.

The announcement in June of a new sequel has created a rush of demand for the original games, causing a spike in second hand sales of the Dreamcast console. As the machine is long out of production and the first two Shenmue titles have never been re-released in any fashion for contemporary hardware, Sega is not seeing one red cent of this surge in popularity for the games it lost millions on producing back in the Nineties.

Gamers young and old, who want to relive the first chapters or discover for the first time what all the hype is about, are having to resort to preowned, ageing systems to get their fix of Shenmue before number III hits in late 2017. Sega is both making it harder for everybody and leaving cash on the table by not supplying Shenmue 1 & 2 HD on modern platforms.

This Thursday, spread the word and be heard on the 3rd to #SaveShenmueHD!
by Team Yu
Sat Aug 29, 2015 7:38 am
 
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#SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon Recap

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A huge THANK YOU to everyone who took part in Thursday's #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon, the second event since upgrading the hashtag from #SaveShenmue last month. Communicating the change across the broad network of global fans that made the Shenmue III campaign so organic and self-sufficient is an ongoing process, and we're proud of everyone who's helping to get the word out there. More and more newcomers are making the transition, and we expect to see that continue on October 3rd when we do it all again!

( Continue reading )
by Team Yu
Fri Sep 04, 2015 5:03 pm
 
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Re: #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon Recap

There is of course a chance, of arguable size, that 2015's second landscape changing announcement will have taken place by then. All eyes are on the Tokyo Game Show, September 17th-20th, where Sega promises to begin making amends for betraying their older fans with an unspecified game announcement. Whilst it could easily turn out to be Sonic Boom: Werehog Edition, some look at the timing and the fact that Shenmue III's production team will be represented at the expo and inevitably hope for a Shenmue HD reveal. We'll offer the same advice we've always given before games industry events, whether it was last year's GDC or this year's E3: cross your fingers but don't hold your breath. If it happens at TGS we celebrate; if it doesn't we plough on until the job is done. No biggie.

Shenmue III is tentatively scheduled for a December 2017 release. So long as the first two games are made available on current platforms before then, it doesn't matter when they're announced. But Sega should know that fans have hardly been conditioned to give them the benefit of the doubt, and so we will continue to stress the need for them to do the most obvious thing in the world: #SaveShenmueHD.

The hype around Shenmue III, the highest funded video game in Kickstarter history, is naturally transferrable to the first ever re-release of Shenmue 1 and 2. For Sega, it's easy profit - or rather, a perfect opportunity to recoup the investment they made back in the '90s. Not only will fans of the series jump at the chance to revisit their fondest memories on modern hardware, but those who missed out the first time around are intrigued to discover what all the commotion's about. Restoring these buried classics for a new generation of systems and gamers is a license to print money, off the back of the most warmly received sequel that gaming's ever known.

And for us, the creation of new fans through the availability of the story's origins makes it more likely that Shenmue III will sell in sufficient numbers to guarantee Shenmue IV, the probable climax to this epic saga. There will be no Kickstarter for the fourth game. Shenmue III has to shift product, and Shenmue 1 & 2 HD will go a long way toward ensuring that happens.

So we're not campaigning for its own sake. We won't switch to demanding Shenmue toiletries and animes once HD re-releases are greenlit. We're pushing for this because it truly matters to the future of Shenmue, in securing the conclusion to the series that fans have been waiting for since the days of the Dreamcast. The fact that a retro console is still the only official medium on which to begin Ryo Hazuki's multi-chapter quest and the magnum opus of Yu Suzuki's legendary career is shameful, and a hurdle that must be jumped before any victory laps can be run by the gaming community.

#SaveShenmue was a revolution. #SaveShenmueHD is an evolution, and one that might gladly be nipped in the bud at the Tokyo Game Show. But if it isn't, then we hope to see you and everyone you can bring along for the October 3rd Tweetathon. You can pledge your participation today at TeamYu.net/HD
by Team Yu
Fri Sep 04, 2015 5:04 pm
 
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Pre-order Shenmue 3 with PayPal

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You can now pre-order Shenmue 3 and a range of goodies using PayPal!

The store is available on the game's official website in both English and Japanese .

Each page also contains a Q&A about this new stage of fundraising for the game's development.

To help spread the word you can retweet the news from here .
by Team Yu
Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:28 am
 
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October 3rd Tweetathon

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This coming Saturday, the monthly Shenmue Tweetathon will embrace two goals:

#SaveShenmueHD - Pressuring Sega to re-release Shenmue 1 & 2.
#Shenmue3 - Alerting fans to the PayPal Slacker Backer campaign.

To participate, simply tweet those two hashtags on October 3rd, along with this URL:

TeamYu.net/shenmue

It will also help to include your own brief message encouraging your followers to click the link for more information.

Thank you for your support!
by Team Yu
Sun Sep 27, 2015 1:19 pm
 
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NoconKid hired for Shenmue III

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Many congratulations to NoconKid, who has now been hired as part of the team developing Shenmue 3!

The South Korean super fan has wowed fans across the globe with his homemade HD recreations of Shenmue environments, and his efforts have not gone unnoticed by Yu Suzuki himself.

As the Shenmue III project continues to prove that dreams do come true, we look forward to the detailed world that NoconKid will help to create in the most anticipated videogame sequel of all time.

You can revisit a 2014 interview with Ys Net's newest recruit here .

If you're participating in today's combined #SaveShenmueHD / #Shenmue3 Tweetathon then take a moment to congratulate him using @sseega1.
by Team Yu
Sat Oct 03, 2015 12:03 pm
 
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Re: October 3rd Tweetathon

"For Yu Suzuki I have the utmost respect, and to be able to make Shenmue with him would be the best opportunity and the greatest glory."

That's what South Korean graphic designer NoconKid told us last November, when we interviewed him about his stunning HD recreations of Shenmue environments like the streets of Dobuita, the arcade, and later the Hazuki family dojo.

A lot has happened since then. Shenmue III has been announced and broken Kickstarter records, with crowdfunding ongoing via PayPal. This has led to a shift in focus in the #SaveShenmue campaign, with the monthly Tweetathon adopting its new hashtag #SaveShenmueHD.

And it was during this event yesterday that Ys Net announced its newest team member for the development of Shenmue III: NoconKid.

The reaction from fans across the globe was one of unanimous joy and celebration. Not even the news of Shenmue III itself received more likes on our Facebook page than NoconKid's appointment by Yu Suzuki.

Demonstrating that Suzuki-san has his finger on the pulse to deliver what the fans want from this game, while affirming the dream fulfillment that Shenmue III has already symbolized for so many, has made this decision extremely popular with every corner of the fan base. Not only will NoconKid's passion for the series and experience with Unreal Engine make him an asset to the development team, but what this acquisition represents in terms of connecting fans with the creation process is a real boon for Ys Net, and another example of the magic of this impossible sequel being brought to life by the fans, for the fans.

We can only hope that Sega, too, will take note of what can happen when one dedicated fan devotes his free time to remastering the game that they have still to re-release on any new platform after nearly 16 years. Taking its cue from NoconKid, the relentless fans of this series won't let it go, and will continue to push the issue every 3rd of the month until we finally #SaveShenmueHD.

For more details on the campaign and to pre-order Shenmue III, see TeamYu.net/shenmue
by Team Yu
Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:17 am
 
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Fans launch Winning Can Raffle

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Announced during the November 3rd #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon , the Winning Can Raffle has now launched in support of Shenmue III crowdfunding.

Amongst the prizes is a brand new Special Edition Lan Di statue from First 4 Figures , pre-orders for which have gone live today.

Also up for grabs are many priceless collector's items donated to the cause by seriously dedicated fans. Check out TeamYu.net/raffle for full details.
by Team Yu
Tue Nov 03, 2015 11:19 am
 
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Cédric Biscay interview by SEGA Nerds

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Cédric Biscay discusses his role as co-producer of Shenmue III and the importance of the #SaveShenmueHD campaign in a new interview with SEGA Nerds.
by Team Yu
Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:00 pm
 
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Re: December 3rd Tweetathon

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This Thursday, December 3rd, the #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon has two goals.

Firstly, to maintain the pressure on Sega to re-release the original two games in time for Shenmue III. Both Yu Suzuki and his co-producer Cédric Biscay have stated the importance of this action from Sega, as it will not only allow existing fans to revisit their favorite games on modern platforms but will also open the door for new players to discover the series from the beginning, boosting Shenmue III's potential sales and increasing the likelihood of a Shenmue IV.

Secondly, this will be the last opportunity for the monthly Tweetathon to promote the Shenmue III Slacker Backer campaign, expanding the budget and range of features by pre-ordering the game and other goodies via PayPal for a limited time only.

For more details on the Tweetathon and the final phase of crowdfunding, please see TeamYu.net/shenmue

Thursday also marks the first of two deadlines in the Winning Can Raffle , so to be in with a chance to win a soundtrack LP signed by Corey Marshall (voice of Ryo Hazuki), an official Shenmue T-shirt from this September's Tokyo Game Show, and a set of rare stickers from all the way back at the Shenmue Premiere in the late Nineties, see TeamYu.net/raffle and get your entries in without delay.

All tickets will remain eligible for the second set of prizes to be drawn in January, including a brand new Exclusive Lan Di statue from First 4 Figures. Orders for this Exclusive model have sold out, so the Winning Can Raffle is your last chance to receive one of these when they ship in the second quarter of 2016. You can however still pre-order the Regular version for $209.99 at First4Figures.com while stocks last.
by Team Yu
Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:34 am
 
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December 3rd Tweetathon

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This Thursday the #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon seeks to campaign for re-releases of Shenmue 1 & 2 while raising awareness of the final month of Shenmue 3 crowdfunding via PayPal.

It's also the last day to make your Winning Can Raffle entries eligible for the first set of prize drawings, to include a Shenmue vinyl soundtrack album signed by voice actor Corey Marshall.

Read on for more details.
by Team Yu
Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:33 am
 
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Re: December 3rd Tweetathon

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Going into yesterday's #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon we noted that it would be the last opportunity for this monthly event to influence the Slacker Backer campaign, in which the budget for Shenmue III continues to be raised through PayPal until December 31st.

More than just raising awareness of the cause however, the fans descending upon Twitter found an additional way to steer the fate of this final round of crowdfunding. Ys Net themselves launched a poll seeking the blessing of their supporters to add backer rewards to the PayPal campaign that had previously been available only through Kickstarter.

With the Slacker Backer option being introduced later in response to fan demand, Ys Net had listed certain rewards as "Kickstarter exclusives" rather than "crowdfunding exclusives", inadvertently binding themselves to these semantics when preparing the list of rewards for PayPal backers. Of course it makes the most sense to treat all backers equally regardless of the platform they donated on, but this poll was required in case Kickstarter participants felt strongly in favor of clinging to the literal definition, rather than the spirit, of the initial reward descriptions and depriving their PayPal counterparts of the same rewards.

Overwhelmingly the fan base voted in the most Shenmue way possible, in selfless support of the community and the greater good of the game. Thanks to the actions of these fans on the 3rd, the PayPal campaign will be strengthened on this final stretch towards the deadline, heightening the chances of reaching one more stretch goal before Shenmue III crowdfunding is laid to rest.

Congratulations and thank you to all who voted and took part in yesterday's Tweetathon. This Saturday the results of the first set of prize draws in the Winning Can Raffle will be announced, but you can still get your tickets for the remaining four prizes at TeamYu.net/raffle - the ultimate deadline is December 31st, when the Slacker Backer campaign comes to an end. Results of those final draws will be announced during the next Tweetathon, which of course will be January 3rd.

Unless Sega decides to announce Shenmue 1 & 2 HD in the meantime...
by Team Yu
Fri Dec 04, 2015 11:44 am
 
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$6.5m Stretch Goal reached, Winning Can Raffle extended

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Despite the recent announcement of an extension to the Shenmue 3 Slacker Backer campaign beyond its original deadline of December 31st, fans have already now pushed the total raised above $6.5 million, unlocking the Ragdoll Reactions stretch goal. The next stretch goal currently awaits at the $7 million mark.

In response to the campaign's extension, the Winning Can Raffle has also been extended into the new year, allowing fans to win rare Shenmue prizes through continued Slacker Backer participation.
by Team Yu
Tue Dec 29, 2015 8:19 am
 
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January 3rd Tweetathon

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This Sunday, Shenmue fans will converge on Twitter for the monthly #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon, seeking to pressure Sega for re-releases of Shenmue 1 & 2 and raise awareness amongst fellow gamers of the extended Shenmue 3 Slacker Backer and Winning Can Raffle .

You can participate by tweeting the hashtag and retweeting other participants on the day.
by Team Yu
Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:47 am
 
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No change to Slacker Backer/PayPal rewards

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Despite recent media reports to the contrary, backers of Shenmue III via PayPal will not be losing their rewards and can indeed continue to order the same Slacker Backer rewards, including a physical copy of the game for PlayStation 4, that have been available since the campaign's launch in September on the official website .

WorthPlaying has written a comprehensive article debunking the myths currently doing the rounds on some news sites.
by Team Yu
Wed Jan 06, 2016 9:47 pm
 
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February 3rd Tweetathon

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The #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon returns this Wednesday, February 3rd, to maintain the monthly pressure to re-release Shenmue 1 & 2 on modern platforms ahead of Shenmue 3.

Get involved in 3 simple ways:

Tweet: tinyurl.com/shenmuetweet
Retweet: tinyurl.com/shenmuetweets
AutoTweet: TeamYu.net/HD

It's also the final day for entries in the Winning Can Raffle , so get your tickets while you still can for some RARE Shenmue prizes donated by Dojo members!
by Team Yu
Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:07 pm
 
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Re: February 3rd Tweetathon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4YwrUn947g

Since the announcement video's been completed ahead of schedule, we won't keep you waiting a moment longer to find out the results of the final draws in the Winning Can Raffle!

We can't thank you all enough for supporting this contest, which has seen over two and a half THOUSAND dollars' worth of Shenmue III PayPal receipts exchanged for raffle tickets, hoping to win treasured collectors' items donated by some of the biggest Shenmue fans we know.

Although the Exclusive edition Lan Di statue donated by First 4 Figures is the last of its kind, you can still order the Standard edition in all its glory at First4Figures.com while stocks last.

Contests of a more traditional kind are already being lined up with new prizes to be won, with no Slacker Backer donations required. But if you do still want to participate in Shenmue III's ongoing crowdfunding campaign, a mouth watering array of backer rewards await you at shenmue.link/order (and shenmue.link/order_jp ).

Please join us in congratulating the lucky raffle winners, and stay tuned for all the latest developments in the incomparable Shenmue community!
by Team Yu
Fri Feb 05, 2016 7:29 pm
 
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Shenmue soundtrack enters Hall of Fame

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Shenmue's illustrious soundtrack has been voted into the Classic FM Hall of Fame as this year's highest new entry, joining previous video game compositions from the likes of Journey and Final Fantasy to be recognized alongside the works of Beethoven, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky as well as celebrated movie scores heard in Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and more.

Congratulations to Shenmue's team of composers and to all the fans who voted in their droves. The full list is currently being revealed on air and on the Classic FM website .
by Team Yu
Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:01 am
 
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Re: Yu Suzuki interview by Shenmue Dojo & Team Yu (MAGIC 201

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-_kR2fnYKc


Yu Suzuki speaks on Shenmue III, the role of developers, and the future of gaming

Traduction en français: cliquer ici

Traducción al español por Jose Guerrero:
_________________________________________________________________________
Yu Suzuki habla sobre Shenmue III, el papel de los desarrolladores, y el futuro de los videojuegos

La última vez que jugamos en Shenmue como Ryo Hazuki, se encontraba inmerso en un viaje de descubrimiento en tierras extranjeras, siguiendo el rastro del hombre que alteró inesperadamente el curso de su historia; guiada por los hilos del destino.

Igual de inesperado ha sido para dos representantes de Shenmue Dojo y de Team Yu , tras numerosas coincidencias, verse envueltos en un viaje con el objetivo de dar con el creador de la saga, Yu Suzuki; y lograr así que fuera entrevistado por primera vez por la comunidad angloparlante.

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Al igual que nuestro camino a Mónaco, el camino a Shenmue III ha sido montañoso. Pero gracias a una cascada de eventos: una comunidad fan organizada , el alzamiento de Kickstarter , los equipos de producción 3rd party de Sony, e inversores privados (con Shibuya Productions en cabeza), se pudo construir un túnel que facilitara el acceso a este impenetrable paisaje.

Con la soñada secuela ya en desarrollo. En el MAGIC Monaco organizado por Shibuya Productions (conferencia anual de videojuegos, anime y fandom), pudo verse un nuevo e inédito avance del juego. Al nuevo material le cayó literalmente una tormenta encima, ya que una de las cosas que pudieron verse fue el renovado sistema meteorológico dinámico; una vieja y célebre característica de la saga.

Cuando preparábamos nuestra entrevista (la que existe gracias a los veteranos de ShenmueMaster.fr , ¡os debemos una!), hicimos una larga lista de preguntas entre las que elegir llegado el día. De tener más tiempo, una de ellas hubiera tenido que ver con una pregunta que Suzuki contestó de forma divertida en su primera aparición en el Shenmue Tweetathon mensual.

Cuando se le preguntó sobre las semejanzas argumentales entre Shenmue y el clásico de Shakespeare Hamlet, Suzuki twiteó : "Lo siento, no he leído Hamlet. Aunque sí que conozco a Hamtaro." Hamtaro es un hámster de animación japonés, y la fuente de muchas de las bromas que hacían más amenas nuestras sesiones de planificación en línea.

Así que llegar a la ciudad y encontrarnos con un póster publicitario del mismísimo Hamlet en mitad de Montecarlo... tuvimos que mirarlo por lo menos dos veces ante nuestro desconcierto.

Y una vez empezamos a ver cosas, no pudimos parar.

Un coche negro esperando fuera del hotel. Trabajadores ajustando un cartel en mitad de la calle. Máquinas expendedoras de Cocacola y de cápsulas con juguetes cerca del lugar de la conferencia. Pasos de piedra encima del agua en un jardín japonés cercano. Máquinas recreativas con volantes y réplicas de motos, sin olvidarnos del juego de Kung-Fu Panda titulado Mojo Dojo.

Pero, por supuesto, solo nos podemos percatar de este tipo de referencias con la predisposición adecuada. En junio, haciendo escala por Seattle en su camino al gran anuncio de Shenmue III en el E3, el equipo de crowdfunding del juego estuvo imbuido por la ironía cuando se dieron cuenta de que la puerta de embarque de su vuelo era la S3.

Pero por fortuna para nuestra salud mental, las tempranas previsiones meteorológicas que indicaban que nuestro encuentro en Mónaco caería en un día el que la nieve dejaría paso a la lluvia no eran del todo acertadas, ya que finalmente no cayó nada de nieve. Las correctamente predichas gotas de agua impidieron que pudiéramos grabar escenas en el exterior para nuestro vídeo ; pero podréis leer lo que hicimos en forma de relato en multitud de idiomas para saber más detalles y sorpresas que no hemos cubierto aquí.

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Al llegar al MAGIC, nosotros; Peter, contribuyente de cinco dígitos del Kickstarter y James, fundador de la campaña #SaveShenmue ; nos sentimos sobrepasados positivamente por nuestros huéspedes; llevaban unos cosplays increíblemente elaborados, basados en todo tipo de animación, ilustraciones y artes interactivas. Se anunciaron nuevos proyectos en vivo para los emocionados fans, y había colas de gente esperando pacientemente para recibir autógrafos de sus creadores favoritos. Este evento ha sido un refugio y una mina de oro para los apasionados seguidores de un entretenimiento nicho, quienes, por un día multicultural, han venido al Foro Grimaldi como una fusión colorida de descarado entusiasmo.

Y ese es el tipo de dedicación y apego emocional a trabajos de arte moderno que brotó de la mente de Yu Suzuki cuando le preguntamos cómo se sintió, tras quince años de incertidumbre, por estar por fin creando su juego más esperado.

"Creo que a muy pocos desarrolladores del mundo se les brinda este tipo de oportunidad," nos dijo. "Y luego están los fans, que han esperado quince... dieciséis años sin perder la esperanza." En algunos de los vídeos del día del anuncio hay hasta fans llorando de felicidad.

Cuando se le preguntó si ha tenido alguna vez alguna experiencia semejante con alguna historia en una película o libro, nos dijo que no se le ocurría nada que se acercara al sentimiento al que los fans de Shenmue se han acostumbraron tras años de dura espera.

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Cuando hablábamos sobre otros medios de contar historias, le preguntamos cuán de importante era para él completar Shenmue como videojuego; ya que algunos jugones, cansados de esperar ; veían con buenos ojos la posibilidad de conocer el final de la saga en un formato más pasivo.

"Ser un juego es lo más importante," dijo de la saga aún sin conclusión. "Creo que el propósito de Shenmue radica en ser un videojuego." Añadió que, a pesar de ser únicamente uno de los aspectos que conforman Shenmue, recibió muchas preguntas sobre el argumento, así que siempre sintió la responsabilidad de contar cómo concluiría; por ello había considerado otras opciones, como la novela gráfica o el anime.

Ahora que ya ha tomado la decisión de que Shenmue III sea un juego, le preguntamos si el proyecto se ha encontrado con algún reto inesperado. Suzuki nos contestó que, ya que Unreal 4; su motor gráfico preferido; era relativamente nuevo, y disponía de poco soporte en japonés, fue difícil encontrar expertos en su país. "Por suerte, ahora en nuestros despachos tenemos expertos cualificados," dijo sonriendo.

Algo que se sabe de Shenmue III, antes siquiera de saber que motor usaba, era que Ryo por fin podría cambiar su característica chaqueta de cuero por nueva muda de ropa limpia. Pero, ¿hasta donde llegará el nivel de personalización?

"Todavía no hemos llegado al punto en el que nos encargamos de eso, así que es difícil contestar," admitió Suzuki-san, "Pero al menos me gustaría que se pudiera cambiar de ropa. Y sobre Shenhua, como su casa está cerca, si su ropa siempre fuera la misma, implicaría que solo tiene un traje, ¡y eso no sería bueno!"

Suzuki añadió que quiere "crear buenos diseños" para la indumentaria de Shenhua, y cooperar con algún diseñador de ropa real para lograrlo.

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Pero, ¿y qué ocurre con el diseño del juego? A Shenmue se le conoce, para bien o para mal, por popularizar los QTE ; una mecánica jugable que otros desarrolladores suelen usar de forma abusiva; pero que en las aventuras de Ryo estaban implementados de forma intuitiva y natural.

Cuando comparaba el uso de los QTE de la nueva secuela con la de los juegos originales, Yu explicó, "Los conceptos básicos serán los mismos: Es un 'Quick Timer' (temporizador rápido), así que las pulsaciones de botones son fáciles; hasta las personas que no son buenas en juegos de reflejos podrán hacerlo bien. El nivel de dificultad se ajusta automáticamente dependiendo del número de veces que falles, es un sistema que casa muy bien con los juegos narrativos. Aún si eres un jugador malísimo, serás capaz de progresar."

Ampliando sobre el tema, añade: "Lo que describí eran las cosas buenas que tienen los QTEs, pero hay otras con las que no estoy muy contento, estas pulsaciones de botones son demasiado fáciles para los jugones muy muy buenos en juegos donde los reflejos tienen importancia, como en Virtua Fighter. Espero poder solucionar este problema."

Sabemos que los veteranos del Ghost Hall Building de la ciudad Kowloon en Shenmue II disfrutarán de los retos. Pero aquellos sin la habilidad de poder pulsar botones que aparecen solo un instante en pantalla no tienen por qué preocuparse, Suzuki os tiene a cubierto: "Ser fácil está bien, mientras sea divertido".

Cuando le preguntamos sobre el uso de la música en Shenmue III, el maestro explicó: "concibiendo la saga pensé en composiciones musicales que encajaran en las escenas que formarían cada capítulo, es por ello que tenemos bastantes composiciones disponibles, todas magníficas. Me aventuro a decir que ni siquiera el 20% de ellas han sido usadas en Shenmue I y II."

"Con Shenmue III estaremos creando muchas piezas musicales nuevas, pero también le daremos uso a las viejas en las composiciones, por ejemplo. Hay muchas piezas que pegan bien con el concepto original, este es el planteamiento que querría seguir."

Fue música para nuestros oídos saber que, gracias a un pozo inexplorado de pistas musicales producidas al principio de la saga, y a nuevas melodías aún por añadir, la banda sonora digna de salón de fama de Shenmue será aún más épica con el lanzamiento del tercer juego.

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Un sorprendente tema de interés entre los fans desde el comienzo de la campaña de crowdfunding el año pasado ha sido los dos logos que se han usado en avances, páginas web e imágenes promocionales. Uno usaba el estilo a mano tradicional visto en los dos primeros juegos, mientras que el otro es nuevo en la saga, y usaba un estilo con letras más separadas. Con tanta curiosidad al respecto sentimos la necesidad de preguntar a Yu sobre ello.

"El que más me gusta es ese logo," dijo, mientras apuntaba al nuevo logo, en la camiseta de Peter. "El motivo es que, desde hace poco... ¿sabes lo que es la letra cursiva? Ese tipo de letra que se pegan tanto unas a otras entre sí, con el estilo de tu camiseta las letras están separadas entre sí. Dicen que ahora hay muchos jóvenes que no pueden leer la cursiva, es por eso que he decidido separar los caracteres del logo de Shenmue, y así hacerlo más fácil de leer."

Si Shenmue quiere alcanzar nuevas audiencias en estos tiempos, uno de los obstáculos que tendrá que superar es que su nombre no significa nada para los no japoneses que no sepan con antelación de su relevancia. Como su nombre es tan poco conocido en el resto de idiomas, quizás hacerlo más fácil de leer es un paso importante para evitar que los jugadores casuales lo ignoren cuando lo vean en tiendas de videojuegos.

¿Pero es un hecho que Shenmue III se podrá comprar en tiendas físicas y digitales por aquellos que no hayan contribuido en su campaña de crowdfunding? Suzuki se dio bastante prisa en negar cualquier cosa que pudiera sugerir lo contrario: "Sí, por supuesto que podrán."

Aprovechando que salió el tema, le preguntamos si los fans recibirán nuevas recompensas en la campaña Slacker Backer que sigue abierta; como la versión de PC del juego, que está ausente en esta campaña; o la posibilidad de que los contribuyentes de la campaña Kickstarter puedan mejorar el nivel de su recompensa incrementando su donación original a través de PayPal.

Por desgracia, como suele ocurrir en cualquier interacción bilingüe, cuando interpretaron nuestra pregunta para Suzuki-san, esta se transformó en un "¿Se añadirá algo nuevo a la campaña? Como la versión de PC o algún objeto de la campaña de Kickstarter, por ejemplo."

"No puedo decir lo que ocurrirá en el futuro", contestó Suzuki a la interpretación de nuestra pregunta. "Pero no hay nada nuevo planeado por ahora, esta campaña está únicamente dirigida a la gente que no pudo adquirir recompensas, por el motivo que fuera, en la campaña de Kickstarter. Lo que queremos es darles la oportunidad de comprar los mismos objetos, bueno, menos los que son exclusivos de la campaña Kickstarter. Pero quise hacer que los no exclusivos pudieran estar disponibles para aquellos que perdieron la oportunidad con el Kickstarter."

Otro tema candente de discusión entre la comunidad es si Shenmue III tendrá las icónicas escenas de carga de la saga, en las que podían verse la hora y el lugar donde Ryo se encontraba cada vez que entraba en una zona.

Suzuki no tenía planes de incluirlas en el nuevo juego debido a los nuevos avances tecnológicos que han hecho a las escenas de carga obsoletas. Pero tras barajar el tema en nuestra entrevista, añadió: "Entonces creo que son algo muy característico de Shenmue, ¿verdad? lo pensaré mejor."

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Algo que sabemos que sí que hará acto de presencia en Shenmue III es el sistema de Perspectiva de Personaje (Character Perspective), una nueva funcionalidad que se desbloqueó para ser desarrollada tras alcanzar uno de los objetivos extra de la campaña de crowdfunding. Ahora que podríamos tomar el control de los aliados de Ryo por primera vez, nos interesamos en saber cómo de diferente sería la experiencia de jugar como Ren o Shenhua. Por ejemplo ¿el líder de la banda callejera de Hong Kong emplearía un estilo de lucha diferente al del protagonista?

Suzuki confirmó que el estilo de combate de Ren sería diferente al de Ryo, y que Shenhua no pelea, "es inteligente y usa otras tácticas," añadió, antes de explicar que el sistema de Perspectiva de Personaje no es simplemente un sistema que cambia a tu personaje; simula la personalidad de la persona, la forma que tienen de pensar y de comportarse.

Eso es ya de por sí un nuevo reto para un desarrollador que nunca se ha cortado creando diferentes estilos de juego. Con un catálogo de juegos tan diverso a sus espaldas, ¿existe algún género nuevo con el que le gustaría probar?

"Sí, sí que lo hay," contestó Suzuki-san, diciendo que había varios "estilos" con los que le gustaría probar, "¡puede que uno que ni siquiera exista aún!" Ya más suelto, nos contó su frustración a la hora de usar mandos, y confesó ser muy malo con ellos; se imaginaba el día en el que los personajes en pantalla serían manejados por las ondas cerebrales del propio jugador, moviéndose en la dirección deseada únicamente con el poder del pensamiento.

Esta es más que una queja pasajera, es la segunda vez que escuchamos describir su visión del futuro; y ya que la industria está invirtiendo tanto en la realidad virtual y en el control de movimiento, no es complicado pensar que el pionero de los días de gloria de los arcades de Sega está adelantándose a su tiempo nuevamente.

¿Pero es cierto que Yu Suzuki es uno de los pocos desarrolladores al que se les reconoce por su propio nombre? El jugón medio suele como mucho reconocer al estudio o al editor (que es precisamente lo que los editores quieren, que los fans permanezcan fieles a su marca en vez de a aquellos que diseñaron los juegos). Le preguntamos a una de las figuras más célebres del mundo de los videojuegos si esto es algo que tiene que cambiar. ¿Deberían los diseñadores ser más reconocidos individualmente?

"Pienso que es algo que tiene que ocurrir", contestó Suzuki con convicción. "Los creadores de videojuegos deberían ser propiamente... por ejemplo, a los compositores, artistas y directores de películas, a día de hoy se les acredita correctamente. Así que sí, pienso que sus nombres deberían ser mostrados apropiadamente. Creo que los niños (la próxima generación) necesitan referentes a los que aspirar. Es por ello que la industria tiene que darles un reconocimiento adecuado."

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Así que como Suzuki tenía ganas de compartir el protagonismo con sus olvidados compañeros, ¿cómo definiría su propio legado en este negocio?

Esta se convirtió en la pregunta más difícil de contestar para él.

Tras meditar empezó a considerar sus contribuciones y lo que significaron para los videojuegos. "Empecé con juegos arcade. En ese momento creaba juegos 'de montarse', aquellos en los que la cabina se movía," apuntaba a la camiseta de Space Harrier, que James llevaba puesta como ejemplo. "Y eso creó un nuevo género, un nuevo 'movimiento' en la industria del videojuego. Después trabajé en juegos como Virtua Fighter y Virtua Racing. Estos abrieron el mercado 3D. Lo siguiente que hice fue Shenmue, con el que nació el género del mundo abierto. Cada juego creó un movimiento, una corriente en la industria del juego. Es por ello que me gustaría pensar que he logrado que tanto creadores de videojuegos como aquellos que juegan se unan en un gran movimiento."

Y esperemos que ese movimiento perdure, no solo con Yu Suzuki y su Shenmue IV (que de momento solo existe en su mente); también con aquellos que al igual que él, rompen moldes constantemente.

Sea experimentando la historia de Shenmue desde la perspectiva de diferentes personajes, o redescubriendo lo sorprendentemente divertidos que son unos QTE bien hechos, los fans pueden esperar una secuela digna, con las cosas buenas de la franquicia, pero que no rinde cuentas a nadie. Cuando llegue a las tiendas, y, con una nueva generación de jugones; Shenmue III quiere ser un reto tan divertido como accesible; mientras cumple también con la gran responsabilidad contraída con los fans que han esperado quince años a esta continuación.

Para estos fieles seguidores, jugar a Shenmue III por primera vez será como un rito de iniciación. Un momento imaginado en infinidad de formas diferentes desde la infancia. Y ahora, después de un esfuerzo hercúleo para revivir la saga, Yu Suzuki tiene todos y cada uno de esos sueños en la palma de su mano.

Por fortuna, no podemos pensar en otro dúo que brinde tal seguridad.

Seguridad que te protegerá mientras no seas un molesto mando.
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When we last played as Ryo Hazuki in the Shenmue saga, he was on a mission of discovery in a foreign land, in pursuit of the man who had altered the course of his life in ways that were both surprising yet guided by fate.

And so it was that two representatives of Shenmue Dojo and Team Yu found ourselves crossing borders and tripping over coincidence after coincidence on our way to meet series creator Yu Suzuki, for his first ever interview with the English-speaking fan community.

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Like our destination of Monaco, the road to Shenmue III has been mountainous. But through a uniquely synchronized sequence of events, involving an organized fan base , the rise of Kickstarter , Sony's third party productions team, and private investors led by Shibuya Productions , a tunnel was finally carved through the impenetrable landscape.

With the impossible sequel now in development, Shibuya Productions would play host to exclusive preview footage at MAGIC Monaco , its annual conference event celebrating video games, anime, manga, and all around fandom. The unseen material went down a storm - appropriately, as one of the features demonstrated was the series' famed dynamic weather system.

In preparation for our interview - for which we owe the veterans at ShenmueMaster.fr a debt of gratitude - we had readied a long list of questions to choose from on the day. If time were no object, one of them would have made reference to a question Suzuki answered in fun last July, during his debut in the monthly Shenmue Tweetathon .

Asked about similarities in plot between Shenmue and the classic Shakespeare play Hamlet, Suzuki tweeted , "Sorry, but I have not read Hamlet. I know Hamtaro though." Hamtaro being a Japanese cartoon hamster, and the source of many jokes lightening our online planning sessions.

So to arrive in town for MAGIC and find a poster advertising Hamlet itself in the middle of Monte Carlo was cause for a double-take at the very least.

And once we started, we couldn't stop.

A black car outside the hotel. Workmen adjusting a sign above the street. Machines selling Coke and capsule toys near the conference venue. Stepping stones over water in a neighboring Japanese garden. Arcade cabinets controlled by steering wheels and replica motorcycles, not to mention a Kung-Fu Panda game titled Mojo Dojo.

Of course, these inferred references are everywhere when you're in the right frame of mind to look for them. When passing through Seattle on their way to the big reveal of Shenmue III last June, the game's crowdfunding team couldn't help but note the irony of boarding their flight at gate S3.

Fortunately for our sanity, early weather reports forecasting that our meeting in Monaco would fall on the day the snow turned to rain proved inaccurate, with not a flake in sight. The correctly predicted downpours however did prevent us from filming outdoor scenes for our video , which you can watch with captions in a variety of languages for details and surprises not covered here.

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On arriving at MAGIC, both of us - Peter, a five figure Kickstarter backer , and James, founder of the #SaveShenmue campaign - felt positively outdone by our fellow guests in wonderfully elaborate cosplay , taking inspiration from all corners of animation, illustration, and interactive arts. New projects were announced on stage to excited fans, and lines waited patiently for autographs from their favorite creators. This event was both a haven and a goldmine for the passionate supporters of arguably niche entertainment who, for one multicultural day, had descended upon the Grimaldi Forum in a colorful fusion of unabashed enthusiasm.

And it's that kind of dedication and emotional attachment to works of modern art that sprung to Yu Suzuki's mind when we asked him how it felt, after a decade and a half of uncertainty, to be finally making his most requested game.

"I think very few developers in the world get this kind of chance," he told us, "And then there are the fans, who have waited for as long as fifteen years, sixteen years without giving up... In some videos there are even fans shedding tears. I think there's no other developer in the world as happy as I am."

Asked whether he could relate to feeling so strongly about any tale in a book or film that he would endure such a long wait for the next chapter, he could think of nothing that came close in his own experience to the undying anticipation that Shenmue fans have become accustomed to.

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Speaking of other storytelling media, we asked Suzuki-san how important it was for him to complete Shenmue as a video game, when some gamers had resigned themselves to the possibility of concluding the saga in a more passive format.

"Being in game form is the most important thing," he said of the ongoing series, "I believe that Shenmue's meaning comes from being a game." He added however that although it forms just one part of Shenmue, he had received so many questions about the story that he has "always felt a responsibility" to tell how it plays out, and had therefore considered options like a graphic novel or anime.

Having made the decision to proceed with Shenmue III as a game, we asked if the project had encountered any unusual challenges. Suzuki explained that with his preferred engine Unreal 4 being relatively new, and with little information available in Japanese, it had been difficult to find experts in Japan. "Fortunately, now at our offices we do have skilled experts," he smiled.

Something known about Shenmue III before even the game engine was revealed is that Ryo will finally have the chance to swap his trademark leather jacket for a fresh change of clothes. But how far will this customization extend?

"We haven't reached the point of testing that part yet, so it's hard to say," admitted Suzuki-san, "However, I guess I'd like at least to change his clothing. And with Shenhua in particular, her home is located nearby; so if her clothes always stay the same, it would imply she only owns one costume - that wouldn't do!"

Suzuki added that he wants to "create some good designs" for Shenhua's clothing, and team up with an actual clothes designer for the task.

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But what of game design? Shenmue is often credited (or blamed) for popularizing QTEs , a gameplay mechanic commonly abused by other developers but applied with intuitive logic in the early adventures of Ryo.

When comparing the new sequel's use of QTEs with those in the original games, Yu explained, "The basic concepts will remain the same: It's 'Quick Timer', so the button presses are simple; even people who aren't good at reflex-based games can participate. The difficulty level adjusts automatically according to the number of times you fail, and fundamentally, it is a system that integrates well into a story-oriented game. Even if you're hopeless at playing games, you'll still be able to advance along."

Elaborating, he added, "What I just described were the good things about QTEs, but there are some things that I'm not satisfied with. For example, for players who are really good at playing reflex-based games like Virtua Fighter [another Suzuki creation] - for them, the button presses are too easy. That's one problem that I hope to improve."

We're sure veterans of the Ghost Hall Building in Shenmue II's Kowloon will relish the challenge. But for those without the knack to follow on-screen button prompts in an instant, Suzuki's got you covered: "Being easy is OK, as long as it's fun."

When asked about the use of music in Shenmue III, the maestro explained that when originally planning out the series he "thought of musical pieces to fit the various scenes" that would form each chapter. "And so we have lots of music available to us now: a great many pieces, that were composed and created back then. And I would say not even 20% of them have been used in Shenmue I and II."

"With Shenmue III," he continued, "There are a number of musical pieces we will be creating, but we'll also be making use of past ones, for example in arrangements. There are many pieces that fit the original concept well, so this is the approach I'd like to take."

It was certainly music to our ears to learn that, with a mostly untapped well of tracks produced at the beginning of the saga, and new tunes still to be added, Shenmue's Hall of Fame soundtrack is set to become even more epic with the release of the third game.

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A surprisingly hot topic amongst fans since the launch of the game's crowdfunding appeal last year has been the different logos used on various trailers, websites, and promotional images. One follows the traditional handwritten style seen in the first two games, while the other is new to the series with distinct lettering . With so much curiosity surrounding the matter of which logo will make it into the actual game, we had to put the question to Yu.

"The one I like at the moment is that logo there," he said while pointing to the newer block-lettered version on Peter's T-shirt, "The reason I say that is that recently - you're familiar with cursive writing? Where each letter is joined to the next. With this one the letters are separated from each other, right? With cursive, the letters run together. They say there are many young people nowadays who can't read cursive writing. So that's why I decided to separate out the Shenmue logo, to make it easier to read."

If Shenmue is to reach a new audience in the modern era, one obstacle it may have to overcome is that its name is essentially meaningless to any non-Japanese speaker unaware of its relevance. With the word being unfamiliar to all other languages, perhaps at least making it more easily readable is an important step to avoid premature dismissal by casual browsers of game store shelves.

But is it even a given that Shenmue III can be bought in stores and online by those who haven't backed the crowdfunding campaign? Suzuki was quick to dismiss any suggestion to the contrary: "Yes, I think they will of course be able to."

On the same theme, we took the chance to try and clarify whether fans should expect new additions to the ongoing Slacker Backer campaign, such as the PC version of the game which has always been absent from the PayPal rewards list, or the ability for Kickstarter backers to upgrade to the next reward tier by increasing their original donation via PayPal.

Unfortunately, as can happen in any bilingual exchange, when translated on the fly for Suzuki-san the question morphed into "Will there be anything new added to it, such as the PC version or another new item from the Kickstarter campaign, for example?"

"I can't speak to the future," replied Suzuki to this interpretation of our question, "But there's nothing new at the current time. It's really for people who weren't able to purchase rewards during the Kickstarter campaign, for whatever reason. It's to give those people the chance to buy the same items. Well, apart from the items that were exclusive to the Kickstarter, of course. But I wanted to make the non-exclusive items available to people who had missed them during the time of the Kickstarter."

Another point of discussion within the online community bubble of late has been whether Shenmue III will feature the loading screens that became an iconic staple of the original games, denoting the in-game time and Ryo's location while entering a new area.

With technological advances making loading screens functionally obsolete, Suzuki had no plans to include them in the new game. But after musing on the topic in our interview, he noted, "I guess they're very characteristic of Shenmue, aren't they? I will give it some proper thought."

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Something we know will be in Shenmue III is the Character Perspective system, a new feature unlocked for development as a crowdfunding stretch goal. With the player able to take control of Ryo's allies for the first time, we were interested to learn how different an experience it would be to play as Ren or Shenhua. For example, would the leader of a Hong Kong street gang employ a different fighting style to the lead protagonist so far?

Suzuki confirmed that Ren's style of combat will differ from Ryo's, and that Shenhua doesn't fight. "She's smart and uses other tactics," he noted, before explaining that "the Character Perspective system is not a system that simply changes your character. It simulates each person's personality, and the way they think and behave."

That in itself is a fresh challenge for a developer who's never shied away from different styles of game. With such a diverse back catalog already decorating his résumé, is there any new genre he'd still like to take on?

"Yes, yes, there is," replied Suzuki-san, saying there were "various" styles he would like to try, "Possibly one that doesn't even exist yet!" Becoming animated, he demonstrated his frustration when using controllers, confessing to being hopeless at it, and imagines a day when characters on the screen will be controlled by the player's own brain waves, moving in the direction desired by the power of thought.

More than a passing whim, this is the second time we've heard him describe this vision of the future, and with the industry investing heavily in virtual reality and motion control, it's not hard to believe that the pioneer of Sega's arcade glory days is once again thinking a step ahead of the game.

But is it fair that Yu Suzuki is one of so few developers to be known by name? The average gamer tends to recognize only the studio, and often just the publisher - which is exactly how the publisher likes it, to keep fans loyal to their brand instead of those who design the games. We asked one of the most distinctly celebrated figures in gaming whether this is something that ought to change. Should individual designers receive more recognition?

"I think that is something that needs to happen," replied Suzuki with conviction, "Game creators should be properly... For example, with song composers, artists, and movie directors, nowadays they have their names credited. So yes, I think their names should be properly shown and made clear. I think that children - the next generation - need people to aspire to. So I think the game industry needs to provide the proper recognition."

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So with Suzuki-san eager to share more of the spotlight with his unsung peers, how would he define his own legacy in this business?

This proved the toughest question of all for him to answer.

Eventually he began to consider his contributions and what they had meant to gaming. "At the beginning, I started off with arcade games. At that time, I was making ride-on type games - ones which move the cabinet," pointing to Space Harrier on the T-shirt worn by James as an example, "And that created a new genre, a new 'flow', in the game industry. Next, I worked on games like Virtua Fighter and Virtua Racing. These opened up the 3D market. After that I did Shenmue which formed the open world genre. Each created a flow, or stream, within the game industry. So I would like to think that I have been able to bring together both the creators of games and those who play them into one large flow."

And long may that flow continue, not only with Yu Suzuki and his mind controlled Shenmue IV, but also those who consistently break the mould as he has. If they are granted the status in the industry that they deserve, then Suzuki will have been amongst the first of many young programmers to enter the business and turn it on its head, time after time after time, expanding the art form in new and interesting ways.

Whether it's experiencing the Shenmue story from the contrasting perspectives of different characters, or rediscovering the surprising joy of QTEs done right, fans can expect a sequel that both honors the strengths of the franchise while standing still for no man. When it hits store shelves in front of a new generation of gamers, Shenmue III aims to provide a challenge that's both fun and accessible, while delivering on a heavily felt responsibility to the fans who have waited fifteen years for this continuation.

For these loyal supporters, playing Shenmue III for the first time will be like a rite of passage. A moment imagined in countless different ways since childhood. And now, after a Herculean effort to revive the saga, Yu Suzuki holds every one of those dreams in the palm of his hand.

Fortunately, we can think of no safer pair.

Unless you're a bothersome joypad.
by Team Yu
Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:45 am
 
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Yu Suzuki interview by Shenmue Dojo & Team Yu (MAGIC 2016)

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Shenmue Dojo & Team Yu went to MAGIC Monaco 2016 to interview Yu Suzuki about Shenmue III.

Click here to read all about it and watch the full video to hear what the head of Ys Net had to say.
by Team Yu
Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:44 am
 
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Re: Yu Suzuki interview by Shenmue Dojo & Team Yu (MAGIC 201

A character limit is preventing the French translation from being added to the main post, so here it is:

Traduction en français par "Yokosuka":
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Yu Suzuki parle de Shenmue III, du rôle des développeurs et du futur du jeu-vidéo.

La dernière fois que nous incarnions Ryo Hazuki dans la saga Shenmue, il s'était lancé en terrain inconnu à la poursuite de l'homme qui aura bousculé le cours de sa vie, le menant vers des sentiers suprenants tout en le guidant vers sa propre destinée.

C'est ainsi que deux représentants du Shenmue Dojo et de la Team Yu se trouvèrent outrepassant les frontières et enchaînant les coïncidences en route pour rencontrer Yu Suzuki le créateur de la série pour sa première vraie interview avec la communauté des fans anglophones.

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À l'image de notre périple à Monaco, la route vers Shenmue III aura été montagneuse. Mais c'est à travers une suite d'évenements parfaitement synchronisés, impliquant une fanbase organisée , le montée en puissance de Kickstarter , les sociétés de production tierce-partie de Sony et les investisseurs privés réunis par Shibuya Productions , qu'un tunnel aura finalement été creusé au sein de cet impénétrable panorama.

Avec l'impossible suite maintenant en développement, Shibuya Productions allait donc accueillir un aperçu exclusif de Shenmue III au MAGIC Monaco , un salon annuel célébrant le jeu-vidéo, le cinéma d'animation, le manga et tout ce qui relève facilement du fanatisme de nos jours. Les extraits dévoilés ont été reçu avec enthousiasme, et à raison puisque l'un des concepts présentés démontrait le retour du fameux système de météo dynamique.

À la préparation de notre entrevue - à laquelle nous devons une profonde gratitude envers les vétérans de ShenmueMaster.fr − nous avions élaboré une longue liste de questions pour la journée. Si le temps n'était pas notre ennemi, l'un de nous aurait fait référence à cette question qui avait été posé à Suzuki le juillet dernier, dans son début dans le Tweetathon Shenmue mensuelle.

Interrogé sur les similitudes entre l'intrigue de Shenmue et celle de Hamlet, le classique de Shakespeare, Suzuki avait tweeté : "Désolé mais je n'ai pas lu Hamlet. Parcontre je connais Hamtaro." Hamtaro jouant le rôle d'un hamster dans un dessin-animé japonais, ce personnage aura été la source de bien nombreuses plaisanteries illuminant nos sessions en ligne d'alors.

Arrivé au centre-ville pour le MAGIC, c'est alors avec grande suprise que nous trouvâmes une affiche publicitaire pour Hamlet en plein Monte-Carlo...

Et c'est ainsi que notre cycle infernal ne faisait que débuter.

Une voiture noire à la sortie de hôtel, un travailleur ajustant un panneau au dessus de la rue, des distributeurs de boissons et de capsules à jouet près de la convention, les dalles sur eau d'un jardin japonais présent aux alentours, des bornes d'arcades avec volants et répliques de motos, sans mentionner ce jeu de Kung-Fu Panda titré Mojo Dojo.

Bien sûr, avec un état d'esprit tel que le nôtre, il est plus facile d'y voir des références partout. Quand ils avaient dû partir de Seattle pour l'annonce de Shenmue III le juin dernier, l'équipe chargée du crowdfunding du jeu ne pouvait s'empêcher de noter avec ironie que c'était à la porte "S3" de l'aéroport que leur vol les attendait.

Fort heureusement pour notre santé mentale, les prévisions météo indiquant que la neige allait se transformer en pluie au cours de notre journée se sont révélées inexactes, pas le moindre flocon de neige n'ayant été aperçu. Les averses , correctement prédites quant à elles, nous empêchèrent cependant de filmer à l'extérieur pour le compte de notre vidéo . Vidéo à laquelle vous pourrez lire les sous-titres à travers une variété de langues disponibles et avec des informations complémentaires.

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Une fois arrivé au MAGIC, chacun de nous deux − Peter, un donateur de Kickstarter à 5 chiffres, et James, fondateur de la campagne #SaveShenmue − se sentit agréablement intimidé par les invités et amis présents pour l'occasion et leurs cosplays tous plus élaborés les uns que les autres, puisant leur inspiration des quatre coins de l'animation, de l'illustration et autres arts interactifs. De nouveaux projets ont été annoncés devant les yeux de fans excités et plusieurs queues attendaient patiemment l'autographe de leurs créateurs favoris. Cet évenement était à la fois un havre de paix et une mine d'or pour ces passionnés d'oeuvres "de niche" qui auront profité de cette journée multiculturelle pour embraser le Grimaldi Forum d'un enthousiasme coloré et sans complexe.

Et c'est particulièrement cettre preuve de dévotion et d'attachement affectif propre à l'art moderne qui sauta aux yeux de Yu Suzuki quand on l'eût interrogé sur ses sentiments après une décennie et demi d'incertitudes pour être en mesure, enfin, de réaliser son jeu le plus attendu.

"Je pense que très peu de développeurs dans le monde ont ce genre de chance," nous confie-t-il, "Et il y a les fans, qui ont patienté quinze, seize ans sans jamais abandonner... Dans certaines vidéos , on peut même voir des fans en larmes! Je pense qu'il n'y a pas de développeurs plus heureux que moi dans le monde."

Lui demandant s'il avait lui même ressenti ce sentiment d'expectation pour un livre ou un film, il a répondu que jamais il n'eût expérimenté quelque chose de semblable à ce qu'ont enduré les fans de Shenmue après autant de temps.

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En parlant des différents médiums narratifs, nous voulions savoir à quel point il était important pour Suzuki-san de conclure Shenmue sous la forme d'un jeu-vidéo alors que des joueurs s'étaient résignés à la possibilité d'un format plus passif.

"Qu'elle soit sous forme vidéoludique est la chose la plus importante," dit-il en évoquant la suite de la série, "Je pense que la signification de Shenmue est intimement lié au format du jeu-vidéo." Il ajouta cependant que, bien que cela ne soit qu'une facette de Shenmue, on lui posa tellement de questions au sujet de l'histoire qu'il a "toujours éprouver la responsabilité" de devoir raconter le suite des aventures de Ryo. C'est d'ailleurs pour cette raison qu'il a envisagé toutes les possibilités, que ce soit le roman graphique ou le dessin-animé.

Pour avoir pris la décision de concevoir Shenmue III sous la forme d'un jeu-vidéo, nous lui avons donc demandé si le projet avait rencontré des problèmes particuliers. Suzuki a alors expliqué que l'Unreal Engine 4, le moteur qu'il a préféré pour le jeu, était relativement nouveau et qu'avec aussi peu de documentation disponible en japonais, il était difficile pour lui de trouver des experts au Japon. "Heureusement, nous avons bel et bien des spécialistes dans nos bureaux," souria-t-il.

C'est quelque chose que l'on savait avant même que le moteur du jeu ne soit révélé. Il s'agit de la possibilité de troquer l'emblématique veste de Ryo pour d'autres vêtements. Mais jusqu'à quel point cette personnalisation sera-t-elle possible?

"Nous n'avons pas encore testé cette partie donc c'est difficile à dire," admit Suzuki-san, "Cependant, je suppose que j'aimerais au moins pouvoir changer ses vêtements mais aussi et en particulier ceux de Shenhua. Sa maison est à proximité donc si ses vêtements restent les mêmes à chaque fois, cela impliquerait qu'elle n'a qu'un seul costume, ce qui n'irait pas du tout!"

Suzuki a ajouté qu'il aimerait "créer de bons designs" pour les vêtements de Shenhua, et collaborer avec un designer professionnel pour atteindre cet objectif.

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Mais qu'en est-il du game design exactement? Shenmue est souvent reconnu (ou blâmé) pour avoir popularisé les QTE , une méchanique de gameplay souvent surexploité par d'autres développeurs mais jusque-là agencée de façon intuitive dans les aventures de Ryo.

Au moment de comparer l'épisode à venir avec les originaux pour ce qui est de l'utilisation des QTE, Yu expliqua, "Le concept restera basiquement identique. On parle de "Quick Timer" donc les boutons à appuyer sont simples. Même les gens qui n'ont pas de bons réflexes peuvent participer. Le niveau de difficulté s'ajuste automatiquement en fonction de vos tentatives ratées et fondamentalement c'est un système qui s'intègre bien dans un jeu narratif. Même si vous n'êtes vraiment pas doué aux jeux-vidéo, vous serez quand même capable d'avancer."

Désirant appuyer son propos, il ajouta, "Ce que je viens de décrire relève seulement des points positifs du QTE mais il y a certaines choses dont je ne suis pas satisfait. Par exemple, pour les joueurs qui sont vraiment bons aux jeux de réflexes comme Virtua Fighter [une autre création de Suzuki], les boutons à appuyer sont trop faciles. C'est le problème que je souhaite résoudre."

Soyons sûr que les vieux briscards du Ghost Hall Building de Kowloon dans Shenmue II relèveront le défi. Mais pour ceux qui ne posséderaient toujours pas le don d'exécuter des boutons affichés brièvement à l'écran, Suzuki veillera à prendre soin d'eux: "Être facile ne pose pas de problème tant que cela reste amusant."

Quand on lui a posé la question au sujet de l'utilisation de la musique dans Shenmue III, le maestro a expliqué qu'à l'époque de la Dreamcast, il avait prévu à ce que "certaines musiques s'accordent au différentes scènes" présentes dans les chapitres respectifs. "De ce fait, nous avons actuellement énormement de musiques disponibles: de très bons morceaux, qui avait été composés et crées au préalable. Je dirais que pas même 20% de ces morceaux ont été utilisés pour Shenmue I et II."

"Pour Shenmue III," poursuivit-il, "Il y a un certain nombre de morceaux que nous allons crée mais nous allons aussi utiliser ceux du passé, par exemple dans des arrangements. Il y a beaucoup de morceaux qui collent bien avec le concept original donc c'est l'approche que j'aimerais adopter."

De bien belles paroles qui auront de quoi enchanter nos oreilles. Avec une riche et inédite réserve musicale produite au début de la saga et en comptant les nouveaux morceaux en passe d'être ajoutés, le musical Temple de la Renommée de Shenmue s'annonce encore plus épique que prévu avec la sortie de ce troisième épisode.

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Un débat surprenant s'était érigé parmi les fans depuis le lancement de la campagne de financement participatif l'année dernière. Il questionnait l'usage de différents logos pour les trailers, sites web et images promotionnelles. L'un est fidèle au style " manuscrit " de l'original aperçu dans les deux premiers jeux quand l'autre est totalement inédit avec un lettrage cette fois-ci " séparé ." Avec tant de mystères entourant le retour ou non de l'ancien logo, nous nous devions de poser la question à Yu.

"Celui que je préfère pour le moment, c'est ce logo-là," dit-il en pointant du doigt le T-shirt de Peter sur lequel est dessiné le nouveau logo à lettrage séparé, "La raison pour laquelle je dis ça est que récemment... êtes-vous familier avec l'écriture cursive? C'est quand chaque lettre est attachée à la suivante. Avec celui-là, les lettres sont séparées indépendamment de l'autre, n'est-ce pas? Avec l'écriture cursive, les lettres sont reliées entre elles. De nos jours, on dit qu'il y a beaucoup de jeunes qui ne sont pas capables de lire l'écriture cursive. C'est pourquoi j'ai décidé d'adopter un lettrage séparé pour le logo Shenmue, pour le rendre plus facile à lire."

Si Shenmue se doit de toucher une nouvelle audience aujourd'hui, un des obstacles à franchir pourrait être la portée de son nom, qui ne veut pas dire grand chose pour les personnes ne parlant pas le japonais et n'ayant pas conscience de sa signification. Du coup, rendre ce mot plus lisible constitue peut-être une étape nécessaire pour éviter la négligeance naturelle du consommateur dans les rayons.

Est-il au moins acquis que Shenmue III sera disponible dans les magasins et boutiques en ligne pour ceux qui n'auraient pu prendre part à la campagne de financement? Suzuki fût rapidement affirmatif: "Oui, je pense qu'ils pourront le faire, bien sûr."

À ce sujet, nous avons saisi l'opportunité de clarifier les choses à propos de l'ajout de nouvelles récompenses pour la campagne en cours " Slacker Backer ," comme la présence d'une version PC qui n'a jamais fait son apparition dans les listes PayPal ou la possibilité pour les contributeurs Kickstarter de renchérir leur offre initiale afin d'obtenir la récompense qui suit.

Malheureusement, et c'est typique des échanges bilingues, notre question n'a pas été fidèlement traduite et s'est transformé en "Y aura-t-il de nouvelles récompenses comme une version PC ou d'autres choses venant de la campagne Kickstarter par exemple?"

"Je ne peux pas parler du futur," répondit Suzuki à l'interprétation de cette question, "Mais il n'y a rien de nouveau pour le moment. C'est vraiment destiné aux gens qui étaient dans l'incapacité de commander les récompenses durant la campagne Kickstarter, quelque soit la raison évoquée. C'est pour donner à ces personnes une nouvelle chance d'acheter les mêmes récompenses. En dehors des récompenses exclusives au Kickstarter bien évidemment. Mais je voulais que les récompenses non exlusives soient disponibles pour les gens qui les auraient manqué au temps du Kickstarter."

Autre sujet de discussion important chez les fans de longue date: l'hypothétique retour des écrans de chargement , ces affichages iconiques qui informaient du lieu et de l'heure présentes à chaque fois que Ryo changeait d'aire de jeu.

Comme les avancées technologiques ont rendu obsolète l'utilisation de tels écrans de chargement, Suzuki ne prévoyait pas initialement de les inclure dans ce nouvel épisode. Mais après reconsidération, il nota, "Je suppose qu'ils sont très caractéristiques de Shenmue, n'est-ce pas? Je vais y réfléchir."

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Bien présent cette fois dans Shenmue III, le "Character Perspective system" est une fonctionnalité qui avait été débloquée durant la campagne Kickstarter. Avec le joueur capable pour la première fois de prendre le contrôle des alliés de Ryo, nous voulions savoir dans quelle mesure l'expérience allait être différente en incarnant Ren ou Shenhua. Par exemple, le leader du gang de rue honk-gongais va-t-il employer un art martial différent du personnage principal?

Suzuki confirma que le style de combat de Ren différera de celui de Ryo tandis que Shenhua ne se battra pas. "Elle est intelligente et fera preuve de tactique," nuancera-t-il avant d'expliquer que le "Character Perspective system n'est pas simplement un système qui fait alterner votre personnage. Il influence aussi sa personnalité ainsi que la manière dont il pense et agit."

Ce qui, en soit, représente un nouveau défi pour un développeur qui n'aura jamais reculé face à l'abordage de styles de jeu différents. Avec un curriculum vitae aussi épais et diversifié que le sien, y a-t-il un autre genre auquel il aimerait s'attaquer un jour?

"Oui, oui, il y en à un," répondit Yu en nous affirmant qu'il aimerait bien s'essayer à d'autres genres, "Possiblement un qui n'a encore jamais existé!" En gesticulant devant nous, il exprimait alors sa frustration à l'idée d'utiliser une manette, nous confessant qu'il était très mauvais joueur et imaginant une époque où les personnages pourront être contrôlés par le biais de capteurs d'ondes cérébrales et donc déplacés par la simple volonté du joueur.

Plus qu'un coup de tête, c'est la seconde fois qu'on l'entend parler de cette vision du futur. Et avec l'industrie investissant massivement dans la réalité virtuelle et la capture de mouvement, il n'est pas difficile de penser que le pionnier du grand Sega d'antan songe encore une fois à la nouvelle ère du jeu-vidéo.

Mais est-il équitable que Yu Suzuki soit encore l'un des rares développpeurs connu pour son nom? Le joueur moyen tend à reconnaître uniquement le studio, ou plus souvent encore l'éditeur - ce que cherche exactement ce dernier afin de rallier les fans à sa cause plutôt qu'à celle des personnalités qui conçoivent leurs jeux. Nous avons demandé à l'une des figures les plus célèbres du jeu-vidéo si c'était quelque chose qui devait être amené à changer. Les créateurs de jeux-vidéo méritent-ils plus de reconnaissance?

"Je pense que c'est quelque chose qui doit arriver" répondit Suzuki avec conviction. "Les créateurs de jeu devraient clairement... Par exemple, les compositeurs, les artistes, les réalisateurs ont tous leurs noms crédités aujourd'hui. Donc oui, je pense que leurs noms devraient être clairement mis en évidence. Je pense que les enfants − la prochaine génération − ont besoin de modèles qui les aspirent. C'est pourquoi je considère nécessaire que l'industrie du jeu-vidéo affiche une meilleure reconnaissance."

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Avec un Suzuki-san désireux de partager le feu des projecteurs avec ses homologues, comment définirait-il l'héritage qu'il a laissé à l'industrie du jeu-vidéo?

Au vue de son expression, c'était sans doute la question la plus délicate qui lui a été posé jusqu'ici.

Il commença alors par réfléchir à ses contributions passées et leurs répercussions respectives sur le milieu du jeu-vidéo. "Au tout début, j'avais commencé par les jeux arcades. À cette époque, je créais des jeux où le concept était de chevaucher la borne, comme ceux qui faisaient bouger l'ensemble de la machine," dit-il en indiquant du doigt une illustration de Space Harrier visible sur le T-shirt porté par James, "Et cela a crée un nouveau genre, a généré une stimulation au sein de l'industrie du jeu-vidéo. J'ai ensuite travaillé sur des jeux comme Virtua Fighter ou Virtua Racing qui ont élargi le marché de la 3D. Après cela, j'ai fait Shenmue qui a formalisé le genre du monde ouvert. Chacun ont crée une stimulation ou un courant à l'intérieur de l'industrie. Donc j'aimerais me dire que j'ai été capable d'emporter à la fois les créateurs de jeux et ceux qui y jouent dans un même et large courant."

Espérons que ce courant puisse s'écouler encore longtemps, pas seulement pour Yu Suzuki et son Shenmue IV au gameplay télépathique, mais aussi pour tout ceux qui sortent constamment des sentiers battus comme lui l'a fait à son époque. S'ils réussissent à bénéficier du statut qu'ils méritent dans l'industrie, alors Suzuki aura été parmi les premiers nombreux jeunes développeurs à avoir su investir le milieu et se tourner vers l'avenir, étendant son art, marche après marche, vers de nouveaux horizons.

Que ce soit en vivant l'histoire de Shenmue depuis les perspectives contrastées des différents personnages ou en redécouvrant la joie suprenante que peuvent procurer des QTE parfaitement executés, les fans sont en droit d'espérer une suite qui honore à la fois les forces de la franchise et celles d'un homme que nul ne semble pouvoir arrêter. Lorsqu'il envahira les rayons des magasins pour être exposé devant les yeux d'une nouvelle génération de joueurs, Shenmue III aura l'ambition de prodiguer un challenge à la fois amusant et accessible tout en étant à la hauteur des fans qui auront attendu 15 ans avant de pouvoir reprendre le flambeau.

Pour ces fidèles passionnés, jouer à Shenmue III pour la toute première fois sera comme un rite de passage, un moment privilégié ô combien fantasmé depuis l'enfance. Et c'est après un combat herculéen pour faire renaître la saga de ses cendres que Yu Suzuki tient maintenant tout nos rêves et espoirs dans la paume de sa main.

Heureusement pour nous, il n'y a sans doute pas meilleur endroit au monde pour les abriter.

À moins que vous ne soyez qu'une agaçante petite manette.
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by Team Yu
Tue Apr 05, 2016 5:48 pm
 
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May 3rd: #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon

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The 51st monthly Shenmue Tweetathon takes place this Tuesday, May 3rd, inviting gamers around the world to unite around the hashtag #SaveShenmueHD in support of bringing Yu Suzuki's complete saga onto modern day systems.

For more information, please see TeamYu.net/HD and get involved !
by Team Yu
Mon May 02, 2016 3:06 pm
 
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#AskSEGA to #SaveShenmueHD

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Sega Europe is inviting questions to be answered on its YouTube show Sega Central.

To join other fans hoping for an official comment on the prospect of re-releasing Shenmue 1 & 2 on current platforms, tweet your question with the hashtags #AskSEGA and #SaveShenmueHD.
by Team Yu
Thu May 05, 2016 5:34 pm
 
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Shenmue Heart of Gold campaign

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The Shenmue community has launched a fundraiser for a cat shelter in Japan caring for pets abandoned in the earthquake-affected area of Fukushima.

The campaign's feline ambassador, Princess Genki, and her human aide Lisle Wilkerson invite you to support the non-profit, donations-reliant shelter and demonstrate the same heart of gold shown by Ryo Hazuki towards the orphaned kitten in Yamanose.

To learn more and donate, please visit the official funding page owned by Japan Cat Network.
by Team Yu
Thu Jun 02, 2016 3:39 pm
 
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Re: Shenmue Heart of Gold campaign

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One of the many people helping to spread the word on Friday about the new Shenmue Heart of Gold campaign was Ryuji Iuchi, the man behind some of the most iconic tunes on Shenmue's illustrious soundtrack.

"Amazing!" he said on Twitter when sharing the link to the fundraising page owned by Japan Cat Network.

We encourage all fans to get behind this as well, demonstrating the valuable lessons of Shenmue and a reason why the next generation of gamers should have the chance to be inspired by Ryo Hazuki's encounters at the beginning of the series.

To share in Iuchi's enthusiasm and also read comments from Shenmue II voice actress Lisle Wilkerson, please check out the official donations page .

Thank you!
by Team Yu
Sun Jun 05, 2016 12:41 pm
 
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Re: Shenmue Heart of Gold campaign

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Meet Princess Genki.

As you can see, she knows hardship. She knows emptiness. She knows what it's like to be underprivileged.

In fact, she really does. Because Genki was a rescue cat, without a home to call her own, until voice actress Lisle Wilkerson took her in and changed her life forever.

Now as the official ambassador for the Shenmue Heart of Gold campaign, Princess Genki is a shining example of the difference your support can make to shelters like the one run by Japan Cat Network in Fukushima, caring for abandoned pets for as long as it takes until they find their new forever home.

Shenmue fans have so far raised nearly $350 in honor of Ryo Hazuki's heroic treatment of an orphaned kitten in Yamanose. On behalf of the Princess and her human aide (the voice of Xiuying and Joy in Shenmue II), we invite you to add your support and show once again what this community is capable of.

To learn more and donate any amount directly to the shelter, please visit gofundme.com/Shenmue-For-JCN

By royal decree! ;-)
by Team Yu
Sat Jun 11, 2016 7:32 am
 
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Sunday July 3rd: #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon

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The ‪#‎SaveShenmueHD‬ Tweetathon is LIVE!

Get involved at this very moment and all day by:

1) Tweeting the hashtag
2) Retweeting other fans
3) Setting up AutoTweet

Please click here for more details.
by Team Yu
Sun Jul 03, 2016 5:21 am
 
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Mirror, Mirror Contest & Tweetathon

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To celebrate the August 3rd #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon , a new contest is being run between now and the next Tweetathon on September 3rd to win a detailed, ready-to-paint model of the Phoenix Mirror.

Full details can be found here .

Tips for participating in this month's Tweetathon, which lasts all day Wednesday:

1) Tweet the hashtag - tinyurl.com/shenmuetweet
2) Retweet fellow fans - tinyurl.com/shenmuetweets
3) Set up your monthly AutoTweet - TeamYu.net/HD
by Team Yu
Wed Aug 03, 2016 3:18 am
 
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Tweetathon: September 3rd

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On the heels of recent comments from Sega on the status of possible Shenmue 1 & 2 remakes or remasters on modern systems, this Saturday's #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon seeks to help the company prioritize this long delayed project in time for Shenmue III 's release.

To participate in the all-day event, we urge every fan to tweet the hashtag, retweet others doing the same, and set up your monthly AutoTweet for ongoing support.

This particular Tweetathon also marks the deadline for the Mirror, Mirror Contest . For your chance to win a boxed sculpture of the Phoenix Mirror, get your artistic entry in by the end of the day!
by Team Yu
Fri Sep 02, 2016 4:15 pm
 
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Vote Shenmue 3 for a Golden Joystick Award

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Shenmue 3 has been nominated in the Most Wanted Game category of this year's Golden Joystick Awards.

Fans can vote at this link , making sure to formally submit all votes at the end of the list of categories in order for them to count.
by Team Yu
Thu Sep 22, 2016 2:52 pm
 
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Cédric Biscay interview by Shenmue Master

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French fan site Shenmue Master has published its new interview with Shenmue III co-producer Cédric Biscay, which can be read in English at this link .

Cédric speaks of his role in the revival of the series, and again stresses the importance of Sega releasing new versions of Shenmue 1 & 2 on modern systems.

The campaign to #SaveShenmueHD in time for Shenmue III continues every 3rd of the month with the traditional Tweetathon. You can pre-load a message for automatic participation on the day at TeamYu.net/HD
by Team Yu
Fri Oct 14, 2016 8:21 am
 
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Tweetathon: November 3rd

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The 24-hour #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon takes place throughout Thursday, so please be sure to participate and support the campaign for Shenmue 1 & 2 to be re-released on modern platforms in time for Shenmue 3!

Sample tweet / More information
by Team Yu
Thu Nov 03, 2016 3:17 am
 
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Vote Shenmue in official Sega survey (Now Closed)

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Sega of Japan wants to know which games and characters you most fondly remember and wish to see revived:

https://enq.sega.jp/orca/PA99014021

Needless to say, this is another opportunity we can't pass up to drive home the message to #SaveShenmueHD. Voting takes only a few clicks, so please be sure to do your bit.

In case your browser doesn't translate the page from Japanese, simply enter Shenmue, Ryo Hazuki, and Shenmue again for questions 1-3, and then select anything for the remaining questions (gender and age group).

A more detailed guide, including suggested Japanese text to copy and paste for your answers, has been prepared by the ever helpful Switch on his Phantom River Stone blog . And as Switch says, "the results of the poll are scheduled to be announced on the NicoNico Sega live stream at 6am JST this Sunday, November 20th."

Thank you for voting!
by Team Yu
Mon Nov 14, 2016 7:15 pm
 
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December 3rd events for Shenmue fans

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This Saturday marks 30 years since the in-game date when Ryo Hazuki embarked on his quest for answers and revenge in Shenmue.

Here's what's lined up for Shenmue fans today:

ALL DAY: The monthly #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon - Spread the word and be heard on the 3rd!

9AM PT : Shenmue Dojo relaunches its Twitch channel with a playthrough of "What's Shenmue?"

10AM PT : PlayStation Experience kicks off with a PlayStation Showcase presentation, at which Shenmue 3 may appear. (Streamed via the Dojo Twitch channel , followed by a fan-made Shenmue II: The Movie.)

We hope you'll join us in getting involved for what should be a fun celebration of this remarkable videogame series, continuing the fight to restore its past while celebrating its hard-won future!

Thank you for your support!
by Team Yu
Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:47 am
 
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Most Anticipated Game poll on PlayStation Blog

https://s27.postimg.cc/8bzzdnuir/31623320142_287026902f_o_483x272.jpg

The official US PlayStation Blog is holding its annual awards, and a certain game is nominated in the Most Anticipated category.

Now far be it from us to try and sway anybody's choice. We are of course 100% impartial and believe it's entirely up to you which game you select.

So anyway, head on over to bit.ly/voteshenmue3 to cast your ballot. Deadline: end of the year, Pacific Time.
by Team Yu
Fri Dec 23, 2016 4:04 am
 
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Tweetathon: January 3rd

http://s27.postimg.cc/f9s03k38j/Jan3rd_Dojo.png

This Tuesday, all gamers are invited to participate in the first monthly #SaveShenmueHD Tweetathon of 2017, urging Sega to openly commit to releasing versions of Shenmue 1 & 2 on modern systems in time for Shenmue 3, currently estimated for release this coming December.

The all-day event is easy to join, by tweeting the hashtag, retweeting others , and activating your AutoTweet for effortless support in future months. Thank you!
by Team Yu
Mon Jan 02, 2017 7:00 pm
 
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