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As one might have suspected, Shenmue 3 development is being facilitated by multiple parties. While the game’s Kickstarter campaign has managed to gather over $3.6 million in funding so far, that hardly seems a large enough budget for a game like Shenmue, especially considering that the base goal for the Kickstarter was set at just $2 million.
Now, we have more information on the subject. Sony previously hinted that they might be involved with the project, and series creator Yu Suzuki has confirmed that this is the case. Furthermore, in addition to Sony, Shenmue 3 is also receiving support from Shibuya Productions, Suzuki said in a blog post.
“Sony and Shibuya Productions have been wonderful partners because they believe in Shenmue and want to see the best for the fans and the game,” Suzuki said. “Their investment in (and support of) Shenmue have helped to realize a sequel that will stand proud with its predecessors.”
“While it is not business practice to discuss the specific details of such arrangements, I can say that with their assistance on the production and marketing end, and in Sony’s case with some publishing support as well, Ys Net is able to use more of the money we collect through Kickstarter purely for Shenmue 3’s development. It is also important to note that your funds are going strictly to Ys Net for development of Shenmue 3—Sony and Shibuya Productions are not seeing a cent of your Kickstarter dollars.”
Suzuki never explicitly states whether Sony are providing financial support to the project in addition to whatever other development assistance they are lending his company, YSNet. He goes on to claim that even if some of the project’s Kickstarter stretch goals are not reached, Shenmue 3 will be a “true sequel”.
Suzuki writes: “Even if these Stretch Goals are not reached, Shenmue 3 will already be a sequel true to its name, and one we can all be proud of. It is my hope though, that together we can make this Shenmue just as revolutionary as the first two were.”
Shenmue 3 is in development for PC and PlayStation 4.
