Shenmue III the last in the series?

[Shodan]

I decided not to vote. I didn't vote because even though I hope to high heaven for there to be another game after Shenmue III, I can't see it happening. The facts and the reality of Sega's financial situation suggest against this - even Shenmue III is in doubt, mainly due to Japan's cold attitude towards anything Xbox.

It's also worth noting that no Xbox game will EVER come on five or six discs like some people may be suggesting. In fact, it'll be a long long time(if ever), before we see even a two-disc Xbox game. The Xbox utilises DVD9 technology, which have a total capacity of 7 gigabytes. Up until now very few Xbox titles require even anywhere close to this amount. Shenmue IIx used up no more than half of the total storage space avaliable on the Xbox DVD.

And if Shenmue III is the last game in the series, then I believe it definately won't be extremely long. Quite the opposite in fact. To squeeze 10 chapters into a single game would mean an avalanche of cuts, resulting in an experience that is shades more underwhelming than what was originaly intended.

Shenmue III will still be long - much longer than Shenmue II. But just don't expect a hundred hours of gameplay. Because as much as we all like Shenmue III to be soo long that we can't even complete it! lol, it's just not going to happen. Heck! That reminds me, we don't even know if Shenmue III will ever exist yet!

[Realillusion]

I can't believe that such a wonderful game with awsome environments, good graphics, and as much freedom as Shenmue has can have such a weak FANBASE. Is everyone OUT THERE! Too busy buying VICE CITY!!!!! Games or what. I shouldn't be talking actually i bought the game myself lol, but anyways.... MORE people should buy Shenmue. And you know what i think Shenmue's problem is.... it's advertisement. The Shenmue series has WEAK advertisement. If they had more of that, it would probably sell more! And mostly all people that play the first Shenmue just drop the controler and leave after the first 30 minutes of the game. THAT IS NOT FAIR FOR SHENMUE!!!

[Shodan]

I can't believe that such a wonderful game with awsome environments, good graphics, and as much freedom as Shenmue has can have such a weak FANBASE. Is everyone OUT THERE! Too busy buying VICE CITY!!!!! Games or what. I shouldn't be talking actually i bought the game myself lol, but anyways.... MORE people should buy Shenmue. And you know what i think Shenmue's problem is.... it's advertisement. The Shenmue series has WEAK advertisement. If they had more of that, it would probably sell more! And mostly all people that play the first Shenmue just drop the controler and leave after the first 30 minutes of the game. THAT IS NOT FAIR FOR SHENMUE!!!

GTAIII AND VICE CITY ARE F**KING BULLOCKS, THEY'RE F**KING OVERATED PIECES OF SH*T AND SHENMUE IS A BILLION TIMES BETTER THAN THOSE GARBAGE!!!

Woohoo! It feels good to let that out!
I always felt that the recent two GTA game are just nowhere near the hypebole so many claim them to be, and for people to favour them over the magnificent Shenmue is just.... I can't begin to describe my disgust.

You have some good points. Weak advertisement is one thing, but I think also the culture/background of Shenmue just doesn't appeal to Americans as much as say... wrecking havoc on Staunton Island or the battle to save Xyon. Another thing is just the "way" Shenmue is. It's so revolutionary in so many ways that when people play the game, it's all so completely new to them and they don't want to adapt to it, so they go back to robbing virtual cars ect.

[Realillusion]

Nicely put! But i think that Americans would want to get into the Japanese Culture. It's educational, you can learn what the houses look like, how japanese people go on with there everyday lives, i mean, Americans should get into this stuff?

[Shodan]

Nicely put! But i think that Americans would want to get into the Japanese Culture. It's educational, you can learn what the houses look like, how japanese people go on with there everyday lives, i mean, Americans should get into this stuff?

The minority are interested, and want to learn more. But unfortunately the majority just couldn't care less, they're absolutely fine with their GTAs, WWEs and Maddens. Grrrrrrrrrrrr....

But at the end of the day, it's their loss - they are the ones missing out on the most amazing game experience ever. You and I can just smile in comfortable knowledge that we have and know of this brilliant game. ;)

[ChaiOgawa]

But yes more people would know about this game in america and europe if they just ADVERTISED THIS GAME ON TV OR SOMETHING, jesus christ sega pullsome money out of your pocket and advertise your greatest game youll make more money in the long run then losing from making a commercial.

[Shodan]

But yes more people would know about this game in america and europe if they just ADVERTISED THIS GAME ON TV OR SOMETHING, jesus christ sega pullsome money out of your pocket and advertise your greatest game youll make more money in the long run then losing from making a commercial.

LOL!! You're exactly right! Hows casual gamers supposed to know what "Shenmue II" is if there's nothing advertised for it! Actually, if you look at all the Sega games on Xbox - Panzer Dragoon Orta, Crazy Taxi 3, JSRF, Shenmue II - they're all pretty fantastic(and naturally underated). Some of them sold better than others and ect. but the one thing they all have in common is:

*shock horror* NO ADVERTISING!! HEY!

[pico]

I saw plenty of commercials and ads for Panzer Dragoon Orta and a few for JSRF. ;)

Shenmue I was one of the most advertised games on TV I have ever seen (3 commercials during 1 commercial break?), but it still didn't sell as well as it should have. Blame that on barely anyone owning the DC.

Shenmue II got nothing but very few magazine ads that the "casual gamer" never even saw.

Right now it seems like Shenmue III is possible, but I'm still a little doubtful. If Shenmue III is actually released it'll most likely be the last one, because Sega will pull their same NO ADS bullshit and the only people that'd buy it or even know about it would be us.

[ChaiOgawa]

Yea, Panzer dragoon I saw plenty of commercials for but none for the rest of those. TV stations dontplay enough video game commercials anyway. But thats because non ever make any. I think tat every game they make a commercial for ends up being not even worthy for a commercial. Halo, I never saw any commercials for Halo. Shenmue 2 never had commercials ( I never remember a shenmue 1 commercial anywhere to download?) ALhe greatest games never had commercials. Over the past year the only good game to have a commercial really was ghost recon. Brute force has a commercial but that game truned out to be not all that good. that game Primal got a commercial and it looks horrible.. I dotn remember many commercials for video games recently..

[TEEPO™]

Who knows, maybe this time they'll want to end it with a big bang. It's possible, however unlikely, that Sega will bombared us with shit loads of ads. If they do it right when revealing the game, it be very succesful. Problem is, there is a predujice against X-box. I've heard people say a game is crap just because its on X-box. Similer to the Dreamcast really.

[Hazuki Pit Blow]

They are bringing out shenmue 4, so it will not stop now, it's on the shenmue dojo site

[LanDC]

according to shin ishikawa, THE MAN WE CAN TRUST. there will be a shenmue 4, but then again, yu suzuki has said that shenmue 3 would be the last. at the time, i beleive that they are trying to fit the rest into one game. but lets be real. THINGS CHANGE. i beleive once they realise that chapters 5-16 are too much for one game, that they will decide to make a shenmue 4. i have an old gamers republic mag from a LONG time ago, with yu suzuki saying that virtua fighter 3 would be the last. and of course, it WASNT. so no one knows! but what I THINK. is the great masterpeice will end on Shenmue 4.

[Master Kyodai]

Yeah, Yu said once there will only be 3 games, but in his last interview if I translate it right (won´t bet on that, I´m still a learner and maybe a lousy one...), he ONLY said that he feels not comfortable with Shenmue 2 the last one and what a japanese guy wants to say with that is, that he WANTS more... Dunno if his feelings for the series count that much, probably the sales curves will have the last word on that.