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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Yu Suzuki: Sony and Shibuya Productions are not seeing a cent of your Shenmue 3 Kickstarter dollars

 

25. Jun 2015

Shenmue 3 Funding and Budget Statement


There have been many questions concerning Shenmue 3’s budget and what outside sources will be added to the money collected through Kickstarter. I apologize for not having been more forthright in this area and would like to take this opportunity to help clarify the situation.

Ys Net and I have been putting in many long years trying to find a way to bring back a sequel that so many fans have waited so long for. After learning of Kickstarter, I knew it would be possible to get Shenmue 3 started. Wanting to make the best game possible, I also knew that I would have to look to more traditional means to obtain all the funds that would be needed to create the game I had envisioned.

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. 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.

The outpouring of support from all of you, the backers, has been so inspirational. I cannot thank you enough. Having reached our funding goal, I am excited to say that the Shenmue story will go on, and our journey with Ryo and Shenhua will continue. Fans will be able to enjoy the sequel they have waited so long for, and newcomers to the series will be introduced to a unique gaming experience.

Of course, like with any Kickstarter, additional funding will only help us make a better game. On top of everything Shenmue 3 will already bring, the Stretch Goals that I have laid out will add extra quests, events, and new gameplay systems that will make the game even more immersive and take the series to the next level. At the $5 million mark, there will be an all new gameplay feature I would be excited to be able to add to the Shenmue legacy. If we should make the $10 million Stretch Goal, a much larger, completely open world will be yours to explore.

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.

I understand this statement may by late in coming. Going forward, we wish to be as open as possible concerning the game’s development. I would like to again ask for your cooperation and support in helping make Shenmue 3 the best that it can be.

Sincerely, Yu Suzuki



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yaknow I just have this crazy feeling that this is going to be a horrible game. Sorry, just saying.



Ya but sony is helping fund it so why cant they hust give them 10mil to get the open world stuff



But they're asking for 10m... which is double Bloodstained's budget which is the currently the most funded game on kickstarter if i'm not mistaken.



Mystro-Sama said:
But they're asking for 10m... which is double Bloodstained's budget which is the currently the most funded game on kickstarter if i'm not mistaken.

True, but Bloodstained is just a platformer that will likely play like his past games.

The Shenmue games were much more ambitious than that. Frankly, I'd be content with something that looks just like the Dreamcast games but continues the story.



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Mystro-Sama said:
But they're asking for 10m... which is double Bloodstained's budget which is the currently the most funded game on kickstarter if i'm not mistaken.


they arent asking they are just very clear what you will get for which amount of money. Because there are literrally people out there who think Sony is getting your kickstarter money



Azerth said:
Ya but sony is helping fund it so why cant they hust give them 10mil to get the open world stuff


they arent funding the devolopent. They are just publishing the digital ps4 version like they do with their indie games. Hell the game could also come out on Xbox one and wiiu if more people would donate on KS

 

from their KS page

Currently we are planning development only for PC (Windows) and PS4. Other platforms have not been decided yet. If other platform versions were added as rewards, an announcement would be made on the update page.

Last updated: Mo, 22. Jun 2015 07:36 CEST


theprof00 said:
yaknow I just have this crazy feeling that this is going to be a horrible game. Sorry, just saying.

Be careful, I got banned for ten days when I said something similar about Bloodstained. ;)



SpokenTruth said:
$10 million should have been the goal from day 1.


true but would it happened then in the first place? just look at the media bias this KS got that Yu Suzuki had to respond 



twintail said:
Azerth said:
Ya but sony is helping fund it so why cant they hust give them 10mil to get the open world stuff


seriously not this rubbish again...

Sony's support for the game starts and end at assisting in production and marketing of the game.  They are not putting money into any form of development. 

This is in line with what they do with other indie developlers (of which some even release their games on other platforms because Sony has not invested in the actual game).

As Suzuki has said, funding comes directly from KS and only KS. Sony is helping with promoting the game, which is pretty much what they did at their conference: they promotedthe game and its kickstarter.

"No, we cannot make an open world game for $2 million. Shenmue will be produced using both the funds raised from the Kickstarter and through other funding sources already secured by Ys Net Inc. "

The game is not being funded solely by kickstarter.