Post by 2ndopp on Aug 8, 2007 7:47:54 GMT
Full article here: xbox360.ign.com/articles/811/811423p1.html
Shenmue: Through the Ages
by Patrick Kolan, IGN AU
First of all, we're not classifying Shenmue Online (which may or may not be in development anymore, depending on who you talk to) as a sequel. A likely-China-only MMO from a Chinese developer - we're supposed to believe this is a true sequel? Heck no; we're not buying into that for a second.
However, some of the ideas in the MMO raise a lot of questions about what might be in store in Shenmue III, which was confirmed to be in development as far back as late 2001. Last year, gameplay from the MMO showed a few key ideas that should eventually make their way into Shenmue III; first of all, magic and nature elements are a major part of combat. This is an ability that Ling Shenhua is hinted at possessing, and we'd guess it would get fleshed out and incorporated into the game at some point during the quest.
Reasons for a sequel:
Outsourcing the MMO:
It's interesting that the MMO has been outsourced to several different developers (one after another), thus potentially freeing up Yu Suzuki's development resources to work directly on the third game - all assuming it's still in development. The MMO also potentially demonstrates Yu Suzuki's original intentions - a massive world populated by characters that can be interacted with. Because of this the engine is potentially there; Sega could easily reuse many of the MMO's assets, should they want to cut down on the development costs of bringing the title to a current-gen gaming platform.
Interest still exists:
The other side of the coin is that the MMO's development indicates there's still interest - even at a cursory level - in the Shenmue licence. Yu Suzuki has insisted that the plot will be concluded through games, rather than any other medium, too. If he's still involved with the MMO development, then it's possible he's simultaneously working on Shenmue III, to ensure that themes and ideas (as well as art direction) are consistent. Also, there are a few subtle references in Virtua Fighter 5 to the series, including the MJQ bar in the background of one of the levels and the naming of one of the new characters 'Eileen' - who shares a name with a martial artist in a park in the original Shenmue.
Shenmue Online: it may never arrive. But is that a blessing in disguise?
Microsoft has backed them in the past:
Microsoft secured Shenmue II for release on the original Xbox - which was a smart move; the series had only previously been available on Dreamcast. Moreover, the game has since been made backwards compatible on Xbox 360 - which in itself shows there's internal support for the game series to remain playable and relevant for this generation. Does that hint at Sega's insistence to make sure gamers are still able to play the game prior to the release of a proper sequel?
Sega needs more great games:
…Mainly because Sonic largely sucks these days and it needs to remind fans of why Sega's games still matter. Shenmue is exactly that kind of company-defining release. Back on the Dreamcast, it oozed quality and attention to detail; on Xbox, the sequel found a wider audience. Will it make a dent if it reappeared on Xbox 360? More importantly, would it aid the console's standing in Japan - something that has consistently been a key point for Microsoft, but has just as consistently eluded the brand?
Reasons Against a Sequel:
Yu Suzuki is no longer with AM2:
This is a pretty big signal that Sega may well have moved on completely from Shenmue. Yu Suzuki is no longer President of AM2, instead forming a new development team, called AM+. It's entirely possible that AM+ is working quietly on the third game, but it's equally likely that they're not, simply choosing to focus on arcade releases and perhaps support for the MMO.
Sales just don't justify the costs:
With total costs upwards of US$70 million, Shenmue isn't exactly a low-expenditure development. And, if a game series just doesn't make the numbers, why keep beating a dead horse? Loyalty to fans will only stretch a company so far - and this is a business, after all; Sega is in this for the money. Shenmue just isn't a strong seller and Shenmue III wouldn't be a cheap game to develop.
The Shining Force Scenario: Shenmue may never get resolved.
The Shining Force Sega Saturn debacle:
Sometimes, Sega just doesn't release the ends of some series its kicks off. A prime example would be Shining Force 2 and 3 on Sega Saturn, which wrapped up the story - as long as you lived in Japan. Since the Saturn was on a steep slope towards irrelevancy in the US and Europe, the rest of the series was never translated for US gamers. It's entirely possible that the same scenario might occur for Shenmue. It may never get finished. Sad, but totally possible.
It's been too long:
Games have come a long way and it's totally possible that the world has moved on to brighter, deeper RPG waters like The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - which offered a similar level of interactivity (albeit with a radically different theme). Would Shenmue's grandeur be muted by comparison to newer series'?
Psy-Phi was a big flop:
It's possible that Yu Suzuki's arcade touch-screen action game, Psy-Phi, was such a non-event in Japan that Sega might not want to give Yu Suzuki the keys to the castle again. After a string of games that just haven't raked in the dollars, there may be pressure from the suits upstairs to stick to easy-sell titles from now on. Most would agree Shenmue III won't crack the mainstream nut unless it's utterly mind-blowing in every department.
Sega has never officially come out and stated the current status of the series. Mystery still surrounds the whereabouts of Shenmue Online and no amount of clamour from fans and journalists seems to garner a response from Yu Suzuki - who may well be under NDA. As it currently stands, with rumours and speculation running rampant on the net in the lead up to this year's TGS, hopefully this has provided you with a bit of food for thought. Fingers crossed, people in positions of power have been pondering the game's fate as much as we have.
What do you think? Will Shenmue III ever see the light of day? Comment below.
Shenmue: Through the Ages
by Patrick Kolan, IGN AU
First of all, we're not classifying Shenmue Online (which may or may not be in development anymore, depending on who you talk to) as a sequel. A likely-China-only MMO from a Chinese developer - we're supposed to believe this is a true sequel? Heck no; we're not buying into that for a second.
However, some of the ideas in the MMO raise a lot of questions about what might be in store in Shenmue III, which was confirmed to be in development as far back as late 2001. Last year, gameplay from the MMO showed a few key ideas that should eventually make their way into Shenmue III; first of all, magic and nature elements are a major part of combat. This is an ability that Ling Shenhua is hinted at possessing, and we'd guess it would get fleshed out and incorporated into the game at some point during the quest.
Reasons for a sequel:
Outsourcing the MMO:
It's interesting that the MMO has been outsourced to several different developers (one after another), thus potentially freeing up Yu Suzuki's development resources to work directly on the third game - all assuming it's still in development. The MMO also potentially demonstrates Yu Suzuki's original intentions - a massive world populated by characters that can be interacted with. Because of this the engine is potentially there; Sega could easily reuse many of the MMO's assets, should they want to cut down on the development costs of bringing the title to a current-gen gaming platform.
Interest still exists:
The other side of the coin is that the MMO's development indicates there's still interest - even at a cursory level - in the Shenmue licence. Yu Suzuki has insisted that the plot will be concluded through games, rather than any other medium, too. If he's still involved with the MMO development, then it's possible he's simultaneously working on Shenmue III, to ensure that themes and ideas (as well as art direction) are consistent. Also, there are a few subtle references in Virtua Fighter 5 to the series, including the MJQ bar in the background of one of the levels and the naming of one of the new characters 'Eileen' - who shares a name with a martial artist in a park in the original Shenmue.
Shenmue Online: it may never arrive. But is that a blessing in disguise?
Microsoft has backed them in the past:
Microsoft secured Shenmue II for release on the original Xbox - which was a smart move; the series had only previously been available on Dreamcast. Moreover, the game has since been made backwards compatible on Xbox 360 - which in itself shows there's internal support for the game series to remain playable and relevant for this generation. Does that hint at Sega's insistence to make sure gamers are still able to play the game prior to the release of a proper sequel?
Sega needs more great games:
…Mainly because Sonic largely sucks these days and it needs to remind fans of why Sega's games still matter. Shenmue is exactly that kind of company-defining release. Back on the Dreamcast, it oozed quality and attention to detail; on Xbox, the sequel found a wider audience. Will it make a dent if it reappeared on Xbox 360? More importantly, would it aid the console's standing in Japan - something that has consistently been a key point for Microsoft, but has just as consistently eluded the brand?
Reasons Against a Sequel:
Yu Suzuki is no longer with AM2:
This is a pretty big signal that Sega may well have moved on completely from Shenmue. Yu Suzuki is no longer President of AM2, instead forming a new development team, called AM+. It's entirely possible that AM+ is working quietly on the third game, but it's equally likely that they're not, simply choosing to focus on arcade releases and perhaps support for the MMO.
Sales just don't justify the costs:
With total costs upwards of US$70 million, Shenmue isn't exactly a low-expenditure development. And, if a game series just doesn't make the numbers, why keep beating a dead horse? Loyalty to fans will only stretch a company so far - and this is a business, after all; Sega is in this for the money. Shenmue just isn't a strong seller and Shenmue III wouldn't be a cheap game to develop.
The Shining Force Scenario: Shenmue may never get resolved.
The Shining Force Sega Saturn debacle:
Sometimes, Sega just doesn't release the ends of some series its kicks off. A prime example would be Shining Force 2 and 3 on Sega Saturn, which wrapped up the story - as long as you lived in Japan. Since the Saturn was on a steep slope towards irrelevancy in the US and Europe, the rest of the series was never translated for US gamers. It's entirely possible that the same scenario might occur for Shenmue. It may never get finished. Sad, but totally possible.
It's been too long:
Games have come a long way and it's totally possible that the world has moved on to brighter, deeper RPG waters like The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - which offered a similar level of interactivity (albeit with a radically different theme). Would Shenmue's grandeur be muted by comparison to newer series'?
Psy-Phi was a big flop:
It's possible that Yu Suzuki's arcade touch-screen action game, Psy-Phi, was such a non-event in Japan that Sega might not want to give Yu Suzuki the keys to the castle again. After a string of games that just haven't raked in the dollars, there may be pressure from the suits upstairs to stick to easy-sell titles from now on. Most would agree Shenmue III won't crack the mainstream nut unless it's utterly mind-blowing in every department.
Sega has never officially come out and stated the current status of the series. Mystery still surrounds the whereabouts of Shenmue Online and no amount of clamour from fans and journalists seems to garner a response from Yu Suzuki - who may well be under NDA. As it currently stands, with rumours and speculation running rampant on the net in the lead up to this year's TGS, hopefully this has provided you with a bit of food for thought. Fingers crossed, people in positions of power have been pondering the game's fate as much as we have.
What do you think? Will Shenmue III ever see the light of day? Comment below.
