Fans of theShenmuefranchise may have something to look forward to this weekend. FrequentResident Evilfranchise leaker AestheticGamer believes that some kind ofShenmueannouncement is going to take place at some point this weekend, though stopped short of revealing exactly what the announcement will entail.
AestheticGamer previously teased aShenmueseries announcementlast week, only clarifying that it’s not related toShenmue 4. Unfortunately, AestheticGamer still doesn’t provide much in the way of concrete details about the announcement, beyond that it is for people who “care about the story” ofShenmue. What exactly this means is unclear, however. That being said, AestheticGamer has confirmed whatnotto expect from this weekend’s supposedShenmueannouncement.
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AestheticGamer has reiterated that the announcement has nothing to do with a potentialShenmue 4, and that it is not ports for the first three games in the series either. It’s not a book series or a documentary about the development ofShenmue, and it will not be seekingfunding on Kickstarter likeShenmue 3did, as it’s “already funded.” This doesn’t leave a lot of options about what theShenmueannouncement could be. Speculation points to a possibleShenmueTV series adaptation or something along those lines, but fans will just have to keep an eye out this weekend to find out.
While this weekend’sShenmuereveal will supposedly not beShenmue 4, that doesn’t mean such a project will never materialize.Shenmueseries director Yu Suzuki has even talked about what he would do in aShenmue 4game, stating that it would bring some major changes to the franchise. WhereasShenmue 3was designed with longtimeShenmuefans in mind, a potentialShenmue 4would try to court more casual gamers by featuring more modern gameplay features.
Unfortunately,Shenmue 3’s sales weren’t exactly all that impressive, and the game also earned mixed reviews at the time of its release. Considering themixed reception toShenmue 3, it’s possible that Suzuki won’t get a chance at makingShenmue 4. Considering this, perhaps whatever this project is will give fans much-needed closure forShenmue’s story, but it’s scope has yet to be determined.
As far as AestheticGamer goes, they have been a reliable source of insider information in the past, leakingResident Evil 8details prior to the game being officially announced. Regardless, fans should still take this information with a grain of salt. Until an official announcement comes, it’s best for fans of theShenmuefranchiseto keep their expectations in check.
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