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[BadHand]

So the Kickstarter was pure PR. Way to ruin it, Sony. I'm not supporting it like this, pledge pulled.

There was a live kickstarter launch countdown onstage at the Sony conference.

 

[sammyCYBORG]

Any idiot can tell 2m isn't enough to make the game. It was always to prove the demand was there. The Kickstarter did exactly what was needed.

 

[Crocodile]

Ok this answers some of the questions I had about the game. This NEEDED to be upfront and clear though, not just revealed after the Kickstarter reached its goal

And before people go "it was obvious", that's not the point (it was the obvious deduction but still). The point is TRANSPARENCY and honesty

 

[Rebel Leader]

PC has no brand association. This is all about keeping the game off of Xbox.

The hell is this?

 

[GitarooMan]

THIS GAME WOULDN'T EXIST IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

I hope people realize this, there's no way Shenmue III was going to ever be made without this Kickstarter. People are crazy to think a game company would willingly throw tens upon millions of dollars at a franchise that's:
1.Over a decade old
2. Very niche
3. Has a cult following, which is usually a very vocal minority

The Kickstarter basically served as an evolved form of an internet petition or survey asking "How much are you willing to pay to play this game?" It makes sense to me - if the cult following for this franchise really wants this game, then hey, put your money where your mouth is and prove it, that way we can feel a bit better about this and know that this passion project won't be a total financial failure that wins hearts & minds but doesn't make anything close to a profit.

How do you know it will be "tens of millions" from Sony? Because I think that's highly unlikely. And assuming "tens of millions" was the case this would make no sense at all; it makes much more sense on the scale of "you guys show you can make a few million, and we'll pitch in another few million along with marketing/tech support to bring it along." Because raising a few million on a Kickstarter says nothing about the game's ability to sell on the scale required to justify a tens of millions of dollars in investment. I'm not sure where the idea that this game is going to have some massive budget is coming from. Do we even have any idea of the staffing numbers?

 

[Stone Ocean]

Sony already agreed to the project or it would not have been on stage. Its that simple.

The Kickstarter was nothing more than a PR ploy. If the kickstarter somehow failed Sony would have been the "goodguy" and stepped up and "saved" it to critical niche applause. Its success just means they used emotional strings to get a large number of people to pay well beyond normal pricing.

Well I'm out, we're going straight into tinfoil hat land now

KICKSTARTER MONEY CAN'T MELT SHENMUE 3

 

[Newtype-001]

Its a conspiracy now??
... ayt then im out

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

They should just cancel Shenmue 3 for morality's sake.

Spoiler

Morons...

 

[dugdug]

Nope, it's ok to fully crowdfund a game, what it's not ok is crowdfund a game that already has a publisher with enough money to fund it themselves, that's when it crosses the line.

Hey, you have Sony's bank account information? Can I have it?

 

[Korean Jesus]

Let's step back and think

Shenmue 2 hasn't sold well at all on both Dreamcast and Xbox

By kickstarting Shenmue 3, Sony was able to see how much demand there was for the sequel before their commitment. I think this is actually a smart business move and a lot of you guys are taking it out of context. What difference does it make? Just think of it as pre-ordering the game.

 

[sleepwalkcapsules]

You are funding a game that does not requires funding. You are giving away your money to prove to some executives that the games is viable (as if there weren't better market analysis tools to reach the same conclusion)

You guys really would defend anything from your lovely corporations as long as they give you ur vidyagaems. This is why plutocracy is a thing.

Giving money away and... getting a game?

What?

(If anyone mentions a chance of the game failing to be done, Sony stepping in is better to minimize the risk)

 

[LelouchViBritannia]

Didnt he say sony are helping with developing the game. Ys net is only a 5 man team. He never said anything about sony giving them money. revise this thread before it sets a negative stigma on shenmue

 

[Confounding Factor]

I'll say this. Something like this KS/Sony thing was bound to happen.

Let's take out ALL the risk for IP, risk the very thing they argue why they need it.

We are going to end up with the most perverse form of capitalism, a mirrorhouse reflection of communism.

 

[Akainu]

It could have existed as a toned down project or just a kickstarter game without sony backing it. Sony got its cake and is eating it too. People are acting like this game wouldn't exist without these two factors either. How many recent retro developers have had their games funded? The one from the castlevania producer? Kenji Inafune's game. The ex rare guys game. Considering that Shenmue 3 is constantly brought it over and over again there was clearly an audience for it. And I don't blame sony. They did whats best for them. The gaming community however with all the talks about how we shouldn't preorder games becauise of a variety of reasons that shit quickly went out the window because "its shenmue III!". More then 2 million dollars made and they didn't have to sell a season pass or offer any preorder dlc.

bloodstained is doing the same thing though.

 

[Kodros]

Under 2 million, the game is not getting made. Over 2 million, the game is getting made. People that supported the kickstarter made the game happen. Who gives a flying crap where the rest of the money is coming from. Do you know 100% where all of the funding for every game you have ever played comes from? No, you don't, because who gives a damn.

This thread is just full of craziness. Do you guys want to fund the whole game? Great, multiply whatever you donated by 30. Done. Sony won't have to fund anything.

I'll say this. Something like this KS/Sony thing was bound to happen.
Let's take out ALL the risk for IP, risk the very thing they argue why they need it.
We are going to end up with the most perverse form of capitalism, a mirrorhouse reflection of communism.

All of the risk? Really? 30+ million is no risk? Ok...

 

[Jinkies]

This was obvious from the start.

But outrage.

 

[Frank Serpico]

Sony is helping with funding but couldn't fund 2 million?

I'm going to need details on how this works

 

[SkylineRKR]

Even if it failed to reach the goal?

After that huge reception on stage, which was before the KS started, would they say to Yu 'sorry man, no game for you'?

Sony would be shat on for ages to come. They're not that stupid.

No. Sony knew they would meet the 2 mil target. Yu got a huge stage, the build up was perfect. Shenmue 3 is in demand by a loyal following. 2 million wasn't that big of a goal. But the speed must've surprised them.

 

[joecanada]

Maybe I'm not phat with da kidz anymore, but can someone please explain to me how the fuck this news is so surprising to anyone WHEN THE GAME WAS ANNOUNCED AT THE SONY CONFERENCE!?

I mean, Jesus Christ on a Crapstick!

I started a business 101 response, so I guess thanks to the bus 102 above me earlier this would be business 103....

If two dudes who know each other are on a stage shaking hands and they paid a lot of money for the "airtime/stage/advert space" they are probably partnering on something they feel is exciting.

There's clearly a need for this service we provide.

 

[Scofield94941]

I just gave another 500 to make up for the babies in here pulling for no reason. There goes my future amiibo

 

[Markitron]

This thread is kinda strange, there don't actually seem to that many people that are outraged?

Maybe it's just me but it seems they are in the minority.

 

[Jotaka]

The Kickstarter was nothing more than a PR ploy. If the kickstarter somehow failed Sony would have been the "goodguy" and stepped up and "saved" it to critical niche applause. .

And to do that they would need to spend tens of millions of dollars in a failed project? Yeah.. keep dreaming.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

You are funding a game that does not requires funding. You are giving away your money to prove to some executives that the games is viable (as if there weren't better market analysis tools to reach the same conclusion)

You guys really would defend anything from your lovely corporations as long as they give you ur vidyagaems. This is why plutocracy is a thing.

that's not a scam though. You're funding a game somebody wasn't going to publish if enough interest wasn't shown. And I ain't giving away shit, I'm pre ordering the game and now it's likely to actually get made instead of them coming back later "we ran out of money"

 

[BobLoblaw]

Not really a fan of how they used the Sony E3 press conference to promote a kickstarter campaign, which lead to Sony eventually deciding to back the project. The ends justify the means I guess. Still, unless they localize and put out Shenmue I and II, I seriously doubt this game makes any money for Sony in the long run. You can't look at 35,000 backers for a 15+ year old series and assume that'll translate to millions of sales (at least without getting the first two games out also).

 

[border]

But they wouldn't commit if the kickstarter didn't happen

did they do so before the game received this much support on kickstarter? probably not!

They were committed to funding it once they saw a real, dollars on the table, interest.

You can believe these thinly veiled excuses if you like. In a couple years once every company is doing the "Oh we HAD to do this to prove we could make money" nonsense it will start to ring more hollow . It just already has for me.

 

[mercenar1e]

with Sony funding the games development this Kickstarter project is a pretty safe purchase right? i just cant see why people are upset by this

 

[Ragnarok]

You are funding a game that does not requires funding. You are giving away your money to prove to some executives that the games is viable (as if there weren't better market analysis tools to reach the same conclusion)

You guys really would defend anything from your lovely corporations as long as they give you ur vidyagaems. This is why plutocracy is a thing.

It would never have gotten funded without this so your entire premise that it "doesn't need funding" is false. Then going on to talk about plutocracy? You realize there are actual injustices happening around the world right? Absurd.

 

[Prine]

Seems like Sony reached out to Yu? You've got to commend then for that, and as a Shenmue fan I have to thank them for it.

 

[erawsd]

So they've basically turned Kickstarter into Pre order 2.0. Well played Sony. It'd be interesting to cross reference this thread with all the whining about MKX and Batman DLC.

 

[Ozium]

Nintendo saves Bayonetta 2, funds it outright and announces the game = People raging, "Fuck Nintendo"

Sony 'saves' Shenmue 3, tells people to fund it themselves lol = People enraptured, "Based Sony!"

ok...

 

[FreddieQuell]

Sony already agreed to the project or it would not have been on stage. Its that simple.

The Kickstarter was nothing more than a PR ploy. If the kickstarter somehow failed Sony would have been the "goodguy" and stepped up and "saved" it to critical niche applause. Its success just means they used emotional strings to get a large number of people to pay well beyond normal pricing.

So now we're imagining scenarios in which somehow Sony is the bad guy.

 

[alr1ght]

So, the same thing as Bloodstained and Yooka-Laylee.

I highly doubt Sony is dropping $48 million on Shenmue 3 and the remaining $2 via Kickstarter. It's probably a mix of Sony, Sega, and Kickstarter. Sony, for their part require console exclusivity.

 

[AyaisMUsikWhore]

Ok this answers some of the questions I had about the game. This NEEDED to be upfront and clear though, not just revealed after the Kickstarter reached its goal

And before people go "it was obvious", that's not the point (it was the obvious deduction but still). The point is TRANSPARENCY and honesty

Read the Kickstarter Page, watch the video and come back

 

[RefigeKru]

All this means is that the game will have even more money behind it to be an even better product.

This is bad for reasons.

 

[RPGamer92]

I hope Sony uses some of this money to fund Shenmue 1&2 Remaster.

 

[LeleSocho]

This thread really is part two of Bayonetta 2 Wii U exclusivity...

 

[Aiii]

I just paid 29 Bucks for a studio budget game I've waited 1,5 decade for...

Yeah, I'm good, thanks.

 

[Uno Venova]

After that huge reception on stage, would they say to Yu 'sorry man, no game for you'?

Sony would be shat on for ages to come. They're not that stupid.

But if no one funded it wouldn't that tell them there isn't really any interest and that they overestimated how much people care? Why would they still waste their money?

 

[Cheesyhobo]

The outrage over this is pretty funny because I'm pretty certain the only value Shenmue has to Sony is as goodwill PR with hardcore fans. Do people actually think Shenmue III will move the needle at all? The game always would have sold 200 or 300k to the core fans and no one else, which is why no one picked it up considering the production values fan expect out of the first two games. I doubt Sony is expecting much profit out of it.

 

[Harmen]

I don't understand your concern.

I will never fault an investment group for seeking a proof of concept.

The biggest rewards go to the groups that 'just believe'...but so does the risks and loss of millions.

Indeed. It did not take 15 damn years to get to this point because of it's great marketpotential. They wanted an investment of the fans and got it. If anything, I believe most fans will be glad the dev will now definitely get the funding they need to realize this title and meet modern standards.

Also, the 30-60 dollar tier backers will get the game on release against this fair price regardless.

 

[Soltype]

I'm a little confused.Who owns the ip now?, did Sega lose it?

 

[Prime crotch]

I'll say this. Something like this KS/Sony thing was bound to happen.

Let's take out ALL the risk for IP, risk the very thing they argue why they need it.

We are going to end up with the most perverse form of capitalism, a mirrorhouse reflection of communism.

AHAHAHA ITS A FUCKIN VIDEO GAME YOU DUMBNUTS! You're already feeding the capitalistic machine you're already it!

 

[bon]

So to the real Shenmue fans out there; are any of you actually outraged by this initiative?

Absolutely not. One of my favorite game series that ended on a cliffhanger is getting a sequel after over a decade. Getting petty because "its against the spirit of kickstarter boohoo" is the farthest thing from my mind.

 

[Tenzan]

You are funding a game that does not requires funding. You are giving away your money to prove to some executives that the games is viable (as if there weren't better market analysis tools to reach the same conclusion)

You guys really would defend anything from your lovely corporations as long as they give you ur vidyagaems. This is why plutocracy is a thing.

So like bloodstained?

 

[sleepwalkcapsules]

Until we get something like a Call of Duty/Battlefield/Assassin's Creed/[Mainstrea AAA Game] using kickstarter I'm not buying this narrative of "Evil companies offloading the risk to the fans".

Shenmue is a REALLY risky investment. The fans wanted it to happen, Shenmue needed Kickstarter.

 

[Rymuth]

I'm off to play the Witcher 3. I'll catch up on this salty thread later.

 

[blankempathy]

I just want to know one things. Why are so many retro devs having their games funded on kickstarter? Not just successfully but overwhelmingly so? Why are people acting like a shenmue 3 kickstarter would of failed without sonys involvement?

 

[Kilvin]

this might influence the rest of the kickstarter days

It certainly has in my case.

I was absoloutely planning on chipping in some cash today, but learning this, with the project already hitting its goal, I no longer see any reason to.

 

[Fushichou187]

the nature of the reveal, the backing out from saying they're involved and explicitely denying it to actually say they were all along once its succesful and there's no risk, even tho it was obviously clear

the precedent it sets for future similar stuff and what it means for spotlight kickstarter projects

etc

been saying as much. I think kickstarter is a great platform for Shenmue 3. I just don't like how it went down

- Sony can't say they're funding something if their prior agreements with Suzuki only took effect if the Kickstarter hit on an agreed-upon amount. There is no deceit-- or even opaqueness-- in what was presented.

- The precedent seems pretty clear, no? Big, AAA quality follow-ups to much-beloved franchises where platform stakeholders (in this case, MS & Sony) don't have the internal political will to take on the total financial burden of development, will instead opt to forge partnerships through KS to mitigate risk (i.e. KS needs to reach X amount to trigger additional funding) while still adding value to their platform's future library.

Honestly, it should be big software pubs like EA & Activision that sit up and take notice of what's happening with Shenmue 3. It could make buying out a small indie studio with solid pedigree a much harder sell if that studio could make their pitch directly to Sony or Microsoft and work out a similar deal, using crowdfunding as the springboard, while still retaining their independence.

 

[FStop7]

I feel like I've fallen into some bizarre mirrorverse the way some people are trying to paint a narrative in which Shenmue is the hottest IP in video games and financiers have been lined up for years to fund it with gold bricks.

I'm a little confused.Who owns the ip now?, did Sega lose it?

Yu Suzuki bought the rights to everything new, but Sega retained the rights to Shenmue I and II.