SEGA will "probably" let Suzuki make Shenmue 3

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 2 March, 2011

"It's simply a problem of budget."

Legendary game developer Yu Suzuki has said SEGA will "probably" let him create Shenmue 3.

"Probably SEGA will let me make it," he told an audience at the Game Developers Conference. "I think. It's simply a problem of budget."

SEGA put an end to the expensive, revered Shenmue series after a second Dreamcast instalment. Simply, sales didn't justify the investment.

"Well, I want to make it," Suzuki said of a third game in the series, as reported by Gamasutra. "About 200 people will buy it, I think. But funding is an issue."

The first Shemue game, apparently, "only" cost $47 million to make – and that was in 1999. "Well, maybe I shouldn't say only," he joked. "We spent it on development and marketing... actually where did we spend it again?"

Last year Suzuki tantalisingly teased that Shenmue 3 was much more than a fantasy - it existed. "The concept for Shenmue 3 already exists, so..." Suzuki said.

"Shenmue 3 doesn't expand outward, but inward," he said at the time. "A lot of the dialogue is used for the main character and especially dialogue with Shenhua [the girl]. They [Shenhua and Ryo] talk about a lot of different, deeper things.

"This is not actually in the game, but an example to give you an idea of what I mean by deeper dialogue: when Shenhua and Ryo are at home, Shenhua will ask Ryo if he would like to drink tea or coffee and the player will select one or the other. Or, Shenhua will ask Ryo a hypothetical question like: 'There are four animals; a monkey, cat, dog and bird. You are crossing the river but you need to leave one behind. Which one will you leave behind?' And the player has to choose one.

"Shenhua will ask lots and lots of questions like these and the answers will get stored in the game and affect the outcome of the player's relationship with other characters. It's like a personality test. For example, the person who leaves behind the monkey is the type of person who leaves their wife."

Shenmue 2 was released in 2001, and may have been the most anticipated Dreamcast game ever.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (71) Latest comment 11 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Dolly #1 1 year ago

    This is the one occasion where I don't mind giving a genuine and unapologetic - ZOMG!!! :D

  • Redeye #2 1 year ago

    Dear SEGA,

    FIND THE MONEY. WE DON'T CARE HOW...JUST DO IT.

    Yours,

    Everyone.

  • DAN.E.B #3 1 year ago

    Surely Sega can have a whip round and get the money together for this?

  • MikkyX #4 1 year ago

    GIVE HIM HOWEVER MUCH HE WANTS.

    SERIOUSLY.

  • FuzzyDuck #5 1 year ago

    Nerdgasm!

  • Arcadiian #6 1 year ago

    "It's like a personality test. For example, the person who leaves behind the monkey is the type of person who leaves their wife."

    This is the SEGA I miss. D:

  • atrimus #7 1 year ago

    i simply couldn't take Shenmue 3 rumors and Last Guardian updates in the same day. i'm off to sit in the corner, giggle hysterically and burst marshmallow through the seams.

  • RoOhDaMite #8 1 year ago

    I'd like to see this game supporting the tech behind milo.

  • Shikasama #9 1 year ago

    This is a cheque. You will notice no numbers, only a signature.

    Take it Sega. You know what to do with it.
    Edited by Shikasama at 02/03/11 @ 19:44

  • KopparbergDave #10 1 year ago

    Well if Sega got their act together and got the original Shenmue and of course Shenmue 2 available wherever possible, in a good quality upgraded port, XBLA, PSN etcetera... and if they charged even just a fiver for each, but reasonably a tenner for each, once the sales come through from that lot, combined with the publicity that comes along with that... well let's just say Sega giving them a budget to complete it should be easier to source...

  • yoomazir #11 1 year ago

    if Shemnue 3 comes one day I will die happy.

  • weezereire #12 1 year ago

    Do you know of a place where sailors hang out?

  • neilka #13 1 year ago

    Anyone for a game of Lucky Hit?

  • LazyNinjaUk #14 1 year ago

    Taken from the "Reception" section on Wikipedia:

    While the Japanese version sold relatively well (in the limited Dreamcast market) and the European version sold many units due to the high import demand, the long delayed American release on the Xbox sold poorly. This is largely due to the fact that given the high price of the Xbox and availability of a European Dreamcast version, a significant proportion of the fanbase (largely the market of Dreamcast owners) did not own an Xbox to buy it for. The rest of the market responded poorly due to poor marketing and lack of exposure to the series, resulting in a lack of awareness or interest in the heavily story driven game, which commences on a cliffhanger from a game that was not available to those who had not owned a Dreamcast. Without an installed fan base on the console it was exclusive to, the sequel failed to have any word of mouth promotion and did not find more than a niche audience. Sega and Microsoft did not release an Xbox version in Japan.

    So this wasn't the developers fault of it being a bad game, to the contrary it was highly praised. Sega just fucked the whole thing up from the get go.

  • cidio #15 1 year ago

    Want want want.

    Need money? re-release 1 and 2 on Xbox LIVE and PSN, not enough money? Just use the Yakuza engine. Not the most top notch engine, but it should do the job. By now probably nobody cares if it looks perfectly amazing as long as Shenmue 3 is getting released at all.

    For the record I leave the bird behind it can fly over the river by itself, now what personality do I have Suzuki san? :D

  • Triggerhappytel #16 1 year ago

    Let's be completely honest though: they really really won't let him make it. Any creative spark Sega had whimpered and died, ooh, a good generation back now.

  • chasejamie #17 1 year ago

    How about stop making any more episodes of Sonic 4 (you know, cause it's shit), and plow that money into Shenmue? Please.

  • andywilkie35 #18 1 year ago

    Fucking hell if SEGA are developing it then I'll give this turd a miss!

  • darkmorgado #19 1 year ago

    Go back and play Shenmue now. It's dated horribly, and I'm not talking graphics. The gameplay is hideous.

  • InvisibleCrane #20 1 year ago

    "How about stop making any more episodes of Sonic 4 (you know, cause it's shit)"

    No it's not, and also I honestly I don't think Sega will take a chance on Shenmue 3, I mean they almost pretty much went bankrupt with the failiure of Shenmue 2, what makes you think they'd want to go ahead with a third game if it's likely to do just as bad as the previous one did

  • chasejamie #21 1 year ago

    Your wrong. It is indeed shit.

  • Geowolf #22 1 year ago

    Here's an idea to reduce costs. Re-release Shenmue 1 and 2 on the 3DS and then release Shenmue 3 on it. Graphics don't have to be that much better and the control mechanism suits the game. With little other than porting required for 1 and 2, they could make significant profits to fund number 3.

    I'd be a guaranteed purchaser for one. It's the best way to get round the costs of HD console development and the best compromise for fans.

    (Note, I'm leaving out the NGP because its' graphical grunt WOULD require a lot of update to the Shenmue titles to sit against other games on the format)

  • JoeGBallad #23 1 year ago

    Sonic 4 was great fun, and shenmue is still one of the greatest games ever made. It's something truly special, and even if I wasn't a fan, I'd rather see an ambitious trailblazing project like it get the ending it deserved than most of the shite we get fed. We got okamiden, now I want shenmue 3

  • iWolf #24 1 year ago

    *Orgasm's*

    Oh that Suzuki, what a tease. Seriously though, they could use the Yakuza 3 engine quite nicely; by this stage it's matured through several development iterations which should help cut costs quite dramatically, that and the concept development time should be shorter than usual too considering the time Suzuki has had to flesh out the concept.
    Edited by iWolf at 02/03/11 @ 20:36

  • Ror1984 #25 1 year ago

    Shenmue F.R.E.E.? :)

    I'd be all over this. As others have said, they really should chuck the first two on XBL/PSN to get a bit of a headstart on the budget.

  • chris_ace #26 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 11:55:13 13-12-2011

  • evild_edd #27 1 year ago

    Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease....

  • dewington #28 1 year ago

    The first (well, only) two are good and all, but if all the third one is going to be is sitting about with Shenhua drinking tea and answering her stupid bloody questions, it might be a bit pap.

    I can just it now - 25 hours into the game, the two of them are at the kitchen table solving Professor Layton puzzles together...

  • Alex_976 #29 1 year ago

    What's Suzuki's paypal?

  • HarryTuttle #30 1 year ago

    Creator wants to create game. Bosses won't let him. Same story for ten years.

    This is not news. Since Sammy (a pachinco company) took over Sega shenmue has been pretty much dead and, much as it pains me to say it, this remains the case. Prick teasing name drops and shitty browser games aside we will never get to know what happened in that cave or what's so special about the sodding white tree/s. Yes, this blows, but the truth hurts. I'll be damned if I'm getting my hopes up again.

    /runs to shenmue dojo to see if he should get his hopes up again

  • Goodfella #31 1 year ago

    I remember being hyped for Shenmue back when I had my Dreamcast, couldn't wait to play it, 10 hours into the game I was left wondering what all the hype was about. It was $47 million not well spent at all.

    They should just let this overambitious series rest in peace.

  • bit-crusheRRRR #32 1 year ago

    If they do a hd remix of the first two games, id be up for buying them again as long as they fixed afew flaws/annoyances like they should make the world stream in and not have to load every new street and update the controls. Actually thatd do it for me. Those are what made me stop playing shenmue 2 when i bought the xbox version afew years ago and since id only played through 1 on the dreamcast a couple of years before that it shows how its aged.

  • DJMC2412 #33 1 year ago

    Shenmue would surely make more sense now than it did for the dreamcast back then. Loads of people loved the game/ idea of it but the Dreamcast did not have the install base. I bought it as soon as it was on the original xbox and thought it was amazing. I would be first in line for a new Shenmue

  • aphex187 #34 1 year ago

    Trouble is though guys getting over all the nostalgia is this game still relevant today? Driving a forklift and putting coins into a Space Harrier Arcade back in 2000 was amazing but now? i just don't think it's best we go back over! Let's just leave the good times behind, ya know when we can look back on this game and get misty eyed the first time we stepped outside of Ryo's house.........just a thought ;)

  • dsmx #35 1 year ago

    Why don't they give him a smallish budget to do HD version of shenmue 1 and 2, if they sell well then give him a big budget to make the 3rd one that all the fans of the series want?

  • Ashcroft #36 1 year ago

    Yu Suzuki is just the right amount of crazy.

  • SpookyTang #37 1 year ago

    The first two games hardly sold so why in hell would Sega or anybody else green light Shenmue 3?

  • ulikmegee #38 1 year ago

    I will go and suck start a Suzuki in honour of this momentous news.

  • Gaol #39 1 year ago

    "About 200 people will buy it, I think. But funding is an issue."

    /201

  • Cowbomb #40 1 year ago

    Stop toying with my emotions Suzuki! You do this every few years, and I fall for it every time!

  • The-Bodybuilder #41 1 year ago

    "For example, the person who leaves behind the monkey is the type of person who leaves their wife."

    THIS is why shenmue was so awesome. Made by a crazy man with a crazy imagination for people with equally crazy ability to get lost in their fantasy.

    Shenmue: Fore crazy, yet awesome people.

  • defdaz #42 1 year ago

    +1 to petition. Heavy Rain reminded me of Shenmue in a weird sort of way. Except not having to work at the docks.

  • originaljohn #43 1 year ago

    I loved the way you could just look around your house and find hidden scrolls for you to master new moves.

  • deathdealer619 #44 1 year ago

    This if confirmed by sega, would be the best video game news this gen! This is the only game that i would actually go out and buy a console for just even if it would be on only that format i would still get it.
    This series of games really grabbed me in the days of the dreamcast and created a genuine emotional attachment with so many gamers, if this was ever released I think sega would sell massive amounts of it.
    I work in gamestation and have for 6 years and believe me when I say that shenmue is long but forgotten I think its as wanted as any AAAtitle. Come on sega make this happen and back it up with good media promotion.

    You will be v v suprised IMO

  • alcides #45 1 year ago

    There's petrol in my garden, if only I had money enough to dig... duuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrr

  • Lord-Nicon #46 1 year ago

    This is when microsoft should stop paying for limited exclusives DLC's, and pay for a real game.. c'mon microsoft, with this, im sure they could win the japanese market. Besides of winning the heart of a milions of gamers.

  • Editos #47 1 year ago

    GIVE IT TO ME!

    Caps

  • el_pollo_diablo #48 1 year ago

    Who the fuck cares?

    (JOKE)

  • Silvz #49 1 year ago

    @Lord-Nicon...."This is when microsoft should stop paying for limited exclusives DLC's, and pay for a real game.. c'mon microsoft, with this, im sure they could win the japanese market. Besides of winning the heart of a milions of gamers."

    Could not agree with you more!!! I've been thinking this for a years. M$ could easily whip together the money to make this.

  • Shakey_Jake33 #50 1 year ago

    It's been so long now that I think Sega is going to have to re-released the original games in some form. There are people who play games today now that were not old enough to play games when the Dreamcast was around, after all.

    The lazy way to do this would be to stick the original 2 games on XBLA/PSN, but I'd love to see Sega recreate the game from scratch, create a big 'mega-game' consisting of the the entire Shenmue saga.

  • HugePS3Fan #51 1 year ago

    How about we each loan Sega the retail price of of the game ahead of time, and they can reward us with Shenmue 3 in 36 months? Sign me up.

  • Mr_Brown #52 1 year ago

    Well how hard would it be to re release the two games in an HD remake edition and release it at the same time as the IOS game when interest is high. Whatever money they make on these, use towards the budget of the 3rd game. It's not rocket science. The remakes would sell alot. The game was not popular at the time but has become a cult classic over time. The games ask a high price on ebay because there is a high demand for them. Add this to the new players that would discover this and you could easily sell a couple of million worldwide. They wouldn't even need much marketing because word of mouth would sell it for them.

  • Genji #53 1 year ago

    I'd probably leave the bird behind. 'cause it could still fly across the river, like.

  • Genji #54 1 year ago

    Also, will choosing coffee over tea lead to the bad ending?

  • OrangesJoel #55 1 year ago

    @deathdealer619
    Um... why would it be? What would SEGA confirm exactly? That they haven't agreed to make a new Shenmue but would if it seemed remotely financially viable? Because that's all Suzuki's saying here, and I think we can kind of take that as read.

  • Reihn #56 1 year ago

    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE MAKE SHENMUE 3!! I'll buy it twice!

  • Xboxfanuk #57 1 year ago

    Do what GTA does, get Microsoft to pay for it by making an Xbox 360 exclusive.

  • dagas #58 1 year ago

    I don't think I've ever been so immersed into a video game as I was when playing Shenmue. I was convinced at the time that Shenmue was the future of video games.

  • just4socom #59 1 year ago

    @Genji

    Well if choosing coffee over tea means releasing shenmue 3? well thats a really hard question to answer...its almost like saying make the game appeal to the western market more or make it the way how they want to make it...

    Well its either that or im just downright crazy with my thoughts, because when i think coffee i think west, and tea east.

    OR it can mean choosing your fate in the game, choosing coffee will make the game story progress more action packed. and choosing tea will mean you will play shenmue the way u remembered.
    Edited by just4socom at 03/03/11 @ 08:55

  • Aradiel #60 1 year ago

    There was marketing for Shenmue 1? Really?

  • Genji #61 1 year ago

    I can't believe someone actually tried to answer my question. Good work!

  • patriot #62 1 year ago

    I read the article. I took away 3 points.

    -Previous game cost €47 million.
    -In the new game you can choose a bullet point that shows you are the type of person who leaves their wife.
    -Previous game cost €47 million.

    Wonder why sega are so nervous about making a 3rd game :p

  • like3cokecans #63 1 year ago

    I don't care how the game plays, the important thing is they cultivated characters that we cared about over two games and then left the story unfinished! They can make a machinima for all I care, just tell me what happens next!

  • like3cokecans #64 1 year ago

    Kiryu would have been in his late teens, early 20s when this game was set, they could make it a crossover and bring the Yakuza audience.. if they're trying to pretend it's not the same Shenmue audience..

  • Yuroko #65 1 year ago

    This is why I still visit gaming sites, holding out for a Shenmue 3 announcement. The day I play Shenmue 3 is the day I can finally retire happily from gaming.

  • BonzoBanana #66 1 year ago

    I've kept my copy of Shenmue and dreamcast to play it again some day. That day will be here soon I reckon. The more I read about Shenmue the more I want to experience it again.

  • nasanu #67 1 year ago

    The development costs should be comparatively much less this time around. They already have the game engine (yakuza series). They just need some new art. Bring it on :)

  • anthonymck10 #68 1 year ago

    I grew up with this game (if you can call it a game). It honestly is one of a kind, beautiful music, unfuckingreal storyline, gameplay was just awesome, the graphics for the time was just out of this world and I even played shenmue 2 a few months ago and the graphics still are amazing even compared to todays standards.

    Never got into a game like I did with this game, come on its been years now and I still think about this game

  • gillri #69 1 year ago

    please please please Shenmue 3

  • forlife86 #70 11 months ago

    I'll even throw my pay check it may not be much but i'll do it hahahaha

  • bushiki85 #71 11 months ago

    my goal in life is to make millions and give it all to Yu Suzuki so I can finally get Ryo out of that cave....