Ys Net has revealed in a new Kickstarter update that Shenmue director Keiji Okayasu has joined the Shenmue 3 development team.
Okayasu-san was a key component in the original 1999 Dreamcast action-RPG title, and also served in the development of 2001’s Shenmue II. However, he left the project when it was roughly 70 percent complete.
Now serving as subdiretor on Shenmue III, Okayasu-san was approached by series creator Yu Suzuki while working at Japanese studio Studiofake to work on the next chapter in the ambitious revenge-driven saga.
"I have just recently joined the team. I thought I would be another fan waiting excitedly for the release, but as it is, I get to once again be a part of the team," he said. "Of course I want to help finish the game, and do it so the fans will be satisfied. That means making it interesting for everyone who played I and II, and everyone who will be experiencing Shenmue for the first time.
"What I personally want to stress for my part, is what makes Shenmue, Shenmue. The game has an utterly unique atmosphere, and I want that all to be breathed in. As you play along, you feel the ambiance, the milieu, from place to place, getting that full sensory experience. It is about that natural… atmosphere, as best as I can call it, because Shenmue is a game where that is so important. With Shenmue III, that aspect will not be disregarded, and I will keep it alive and well as we continue development."
Shenmue 3 release date confirmed for late 2017
Shenmue 3 was announced during Sony’s E3 2015 press conference as a Kickstarter-backed project, and went on to raise $6.3 million by the end of its crowdfunding campaign. The game is currently scheduled for release on PS4 and PC in December 2017.
In related news, SEGA has recently said that it is considering bringing Shenmue and Shenmue 2 to PS4 and Xbox One as HD remakes.