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Sega Loses Shenmue Trademark Because they Didn’t Bother Using it

I bet this was done on purpose so sony could pick it up

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Spaghetti

Member
didn't someone at shenmue dojo find out that this applied to shenmue online?

and that the actual shenmue trademark has already lapsed over five years ago
 
Better blame so called gamers for not buying Shenmue I and/or II.

Well, it's not like Sega really gave gamers a good chance, honestly. Dreamcast was dropped like a year into production, and the first XBOX wasn't the best place to drop a sequel to a game no one knew about. Sega could have released a HD remaster YEARS ago for 360/PSN/STEAM/ETC, and actually advertised the damn thing. but they didn't do jack shit with it.

So while I do blame all the gamers who are missing out on one of the best series ever, I blame Sega more.
 

H6rdc0re

Banned
Well, it's not like Sega really gave gamers a good chance, honestly. Dreamcast was dropped like a year into production, and the first XBOX wasn't the best place to drop a sequel to a game no one knew about. Sega could have released a HD remaster YEARS ago for 360/PSN/STEAM/ETC, and actually advertised the damn thing. but they didn't do jack shit with it.

So while I do blame all the gamers who are missing out on one of the best series ever, I blame Sega more.

Only a very small part of the hardcore gamers bought Shenmue I (1,1 million total sales) and even less bought Shenmue II (0,3 million total sales DC/Xbox). Those people should know what Shenmue is and yet refused to buy it. Now a lot of people are nagging about Shenmue III while only a small part will end up buying the actual game if it was ever made. Similar to all the nagging about Killer Instinct yet next to no one actually bought the characters. I love Shenmue I and II seeing how I've actually bought both games twice but I'm glad Sega refuses to throw money into such an abyss.
 

N.A

Banned
Only a very small part of the hardcore gamers bought Shenmue I (1,1 million total sales) and even less bought Shenmue II (0,3 million total sales DC/Xbox). Those people should know what Shenmue is and yet refused to buy it. Now a lot of people are nagging about Shenmue III while only a small part will end up buying the actual game if it was ever made. Similar to all the nagging about Killer Instinct yet next to no one actually bought the characters. I love Shenmue I and II seeing how I've actually bought both games twice but I'm glad Sega refuses to throw money into such an abyss.

1.1 million sold for Shenmue I on a system that sold a little over 10 million isn't bad at all. It's not far off the attach ratio of Skyrim (20 million copies to roughly 190 million 360 or ps3 owners + pc). That's not to say that Shenmue would sell as much as Skyrim, but it obviously has some resonance with people. (It could certainly outsell things like Sleeping Dogs or Yakuza)

Shenmue II was a disaster because of the cancelled US DC release + the death of the DC elsewhere + not that many people migrating from DC to Xbox.

I doubt a standalone Shenmue III would ever be viable, but a reboot with a similar size and budget to the Yakuza games (can even use that engine) would have a good chance at profitability.

Not like it's ever going to happen though. :(
 
Only a very small part of the hardcore gamers bought Shenmue I (1,1 million total sales) and even less bought Shenmue II (0,3 million total sales DC/Xbox). Those people should know what Shenmue is and yet refused to buy it. Now a lot of people are nagging about Shenmue III while only a small part will end up buying the actual game if it was ever made. Similar to all the nagging about Killer Instinct yet next to no one actually bought the characters. I love Shenmue I and II seeing how I've actually bought both games twice but I'm glad Sega refuses to throw money into such an abyss.

I know what Shenmue 1 and 2 are, and refused to buy them. Am I not a "hardcore gamer?"
 

ajim

Member
Afaik, it's mostly due to legal/copyright reasons.

back in '12 you may remember that Sega went into a port spree. JSR, Nights...they thought it was a great idea, with very low risk and nice proft potential since, well, they don't want to fund traditional AAA anymore. Multiple ports were in development, among them was the canceled Skies of Arcadia port.

Shenmue case was special since not many people know this, but apparently the engine for both games uses licensed technology. It's not Bink Video or Sofdec codecs, apparently it's related to the very own engine.

Well, the thing is, according to what I've been told, the owner of those technologies folded years ago, and it's not clear who owns the copyright now.

Someone shown Sega a working Shenmue prototype for Xbox 360...but after disappointing sales by JSR and Nights, they didn't care enough to bother with the legal hassle. So it never went through the prototype stage, and the Skies of Arcadia port was canceled.

And I guess my dream of getting Model 3/later arcade games ports went to shit as well ;(
Holy hell!

That is probably the most depressing piece of information I have ever read in the Gaming section.

I'm seriously fucking shattered.

:(
 

Coxy

Member
Only a very small part of the hardcore gamers bought Shenmue I (1,1 million total sales) and even less bought Shenmue II (0,3 million total sales DC/Xbox). Those people should know what Shenmue is and yet refused to buy it. Now a lot of people are nagging about Shenmue III while only a small part will end up buying the actual game if it was ever made. Similar to all the nagging about Killer Instinct yet next to no one actually bought the characters. I love Shenmue I and II seeing how I've actually bought both games twice but I'm glad Sega refuses to throw money into such an abyss.

considering sega completely fucked america with shenmue 2 it's no surprise the sales went down..

Dont worry though, sega has found many mannnnyyyyy abysses to throw their money into, the last couple were played by 0.0001 million people. for free.
 
I was a believer that Shenmue 3 would someday become a reality, then I discovered that the only way that we could see Shenmue 3 is if I become a millionaire and fund it personally. Or maybe another fan with loads of millions would make it happen.
 

Monooboe

Member
*Sits in corner and cries*

Fanmade Shenmue next!? Yes? Please? Remake of the old ones in nextgen engine with Oculus Rift support?
 
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