Former SEGA developer and Shenmue series creator, Yu Suzuki, has voiced his hope for a physical release of the upcoming Shenmue III on PlayStation 4.
Speaking during a Twitch livestream yesterday evening (via Push Square), Suzuki-san revealed he is currently looking at ways to get a Blu-ray version produced, and asked fans to be patient while he figures out the logistics of securing a physical release.
The Hang-On developer also reaffirmed backers that partner Sony won’t be receiving any of the Kickstarter funds, and will be chipping in with production costs, marketing and promotion. In addition, Suzuki confirmed that 35 percent of the Kickstarter funds will be spent on fees and rewards, with 65 percent contributing directly to Shenmue III’s development.
Elsewhere, Suzuki showcased an updated character model of protagonist Ryo Hazuki, and said he’s eager to squeeze more personality out of the game’s cast using facial animations. Ryo’s original English and Japanese voice actors are also being approached with regards to reprising their roles.
Finally, he hinted at the possibility of new playable characters, such as Ren and Shenhua from Shenmue II, and that the new game will not conclude the story.
Shenmue III was officially announced during Sony’s E3 2015 press conference for PS4 and PC. The game is targeting a December 2017 release, and smashed its initial Kickstarter goal of $2 million in under 24 hours. It’s also the fastest video game to reach $1 million via crowd funding.
At the time of writing Shenmue III has reached just over 3.7 million. Should it hit $10 million, then Suzuki has promised to include a number of open-world features in the hotly anticipated sequel.