Tweet
Shenmue 3's Kickstarter Is Over, But Its Dev Will Still Take Your Money
Shenmue III's Kickstarter campaign may have ended back in July, but developer Ys Net is now ready to begin accepting crowdfunding once again--something that could impact its holiday 2017 release target.
Whether you simply missed the deadline last time around, have had a chance of heart, or whatever else, Ys Net has set up a slacker backer campaign for Shenmue III that will last through the end of the year. Just as with the Kickstarter, you can pledge money to the game's development, earning various rewards depending on how much you give.
$29 gets you a digital copy of the game for PS4, while $60 gets you a physical PS4 copy. You also still have a chance at being the one to get the original Ryo jacket worn at Shenmue press events, though you'll need to pony up $8,000 for it ($2,000 less than the original asking price). The developer also intends to offer "add-ons and upgrades" for those who backed the Kickstarter and now want additional rewards.
Ys Net says it's offering the slacker backer option because of public demand. "[T]here are so many people told us they could not pledge on Kickstarter, or could not make the deadline, and have asked for a PayPal page for another opportunity to contribute to Shenmue III," a Kickstarter update states.
You have until December 31 to pledge, with this money going toward reaching the stretch goals that weren't hit during the original campaign. These include an expanded ragdoll system, new mini-games, and more, with goals outlined all the way up to $11 million.
"While the full game will be completed as promised with the use of the funding collected on Kickstarter, any additional funding collected here will go towards reaching the stretch goals to make the game even bigger and deeper," Ys Net says. "The three-month window was set to allow a long enough time to for everyone who wants to support Shenmue III to do so, but short enough to keep the release date on track."
Despite this, an FAQ on the slacker backer page suggests this second crowdfunding campaign could affect the game's release date. "A rigorous budget and schedule has been worked out with our production team and we believe our target of 2017 holiday season is within reach," it explains. "That said, our goal is to make the best game possible (and one that the fans want!) so please understand the schedule may change as the project evolves. Frequent updates will be posted on the update page."
Shenmue III was revealed in June during Sony's E3 press conference. A Kickstarter campaign was then launched for the game, seeking $2 million. It quickly surpassed that mark and ended up bringing in more than $6.3 million, a record for a game on Kickstarter. None of this money will go to Sony; the company is instead simply helping with production, marketing, and publishing of the game, which is coming to PS4 and PC.
At one point, series creator Yu Suzuki remarked that he would need $10 million to create a "true open world." He later clarified that he would not be disappointed if that mark wasn't reached, adding, "I am grateful that there's another chance for a new Shenmue. I will make what I can within the budget from your money."
More...
Whether you simply missed the deadline last time around, have had a chance of heart, or whatever else, Ys Net has set up a slacker backer campaign for Shenmue III that will last through the end of the year. Just as with the Kickstarter, you can pledge money to the game's development, earning various rewards depending on how much you give.
$29 gets you a digital copy of the game for PS4, while $60 gets you a physical PS4 copy. You also still have a chance at being the one to get the original Ryo jacket worn at Shenmue press events, though you'll need to pony up $8,000 for it ($2,000 less than the original asking price). The developer also intends to offer "add-ons and upgrades" for those who backed the Kickstarter and now want additional rewards.
Ys Net says it's offering the slacker backer option because of public demand. "[T]here are so many people told us they could not pledge on Kickstarter, or could not make the deadline, and have asked for a PayPal page for another opportunity to contribute to Shenmue III," a Kickstarter update states.
You have until December 31 to pledge, with this money going toward reaching the stretch goals that weren't hit during the original campaign. These include an expanded ragdoll system, new mini-games, and more, with goals outlined all the way up to $11 million.
"While the full game will be completed as promised with the use of the funding collected on Kickstarter, any additional funding collected here will go towards reaching the stretch goals to make the game even bigger and deeper," Ys Net says. "The three-month window was set to allow a long enough time to for everyone who wants to support Shenmue III to do so, but short enough to keep the release date on track."
Despite this, an FAQ on the slacker backer page suggests this second crowdfunding campaign could affect the game's release date. "A rigorous budget and schedule has been worked out with our production team and we believe our target of 2017 holiday season is within reach," it explains. "That said, our goal is to make the best game possible (and one that the fans want!) so please understand the schedule may change as the project evolves. Frequent updates will be posted on the update page."
Shenmue III was revealed in June during Sony's E3 press conference. A Kickstarter campaign was then launched for the game, seeking $2 million. It quickly surpassed that mark and ended up bringing in more than $6.3 million, a record for a game on Kickstarter. None of this money will go to Sony; the company is instead simply helping with production, marketing, and publishing of the game, which is coming to PS4 and PC.
At one point, series creator Yu Suzuki remarked that he would need $10 million to create a "true open world." He later clarified that he would not be disappointed if that mark wasn't reached, adding, "I am grateful that there's another chance for a new Shenmue. I will make what I can within the budget from your money."
More...