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Sony is officially helping with funding and development with Shenmue 3

DC1

Member
Really not a fan of this approach.
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.
 
While I think all the complaints are overblown (there's been much worse done on Kickstarter, by far), I'd like to see this thread in an alternative universe where MS was in Sony's position: I'm struggling to guess if there would be more or less magazine rack-tippage.

It would be the exact same. If someone has a niche game they want made, and a publisher/bank/you name it wants them to raise X% of the budget themselves, that's perfectly valid as a use of crowdfunding.
 

Patapwn

Member
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.

This isn't like Sony going to kickstarter for Naughty Dog's next game. Sony does not own Shenmue 3. The company that's really at the helm here is Ys Net.

Sony is helping facilitate, work with and fund some portion of the title but its not like the example I gave above. And even if it was, I don't know if I'd really care. You have a right to fund or not fund a game. If you want to draw arbitrary lines in the sand about 'what crosses the line' go for it.

I think of this as Sony is a backer at the 2 million tier (or whatever they're throwing in the pot). Just like you get a physical disk, or a lunch with the creator, or a $10,000 jacket, Sony is opting for the console exclusive slot and there's only one opening.
 

GWX

Member
My point is if they had done it and people didn't put their money in and the game did not get made. Would that have made you happier?

I agree he shouldn't have said that, but the point here is that to Sony this was the only way to make it and not showing that information improved the chances of it getting made.

Who are we to say it would or wouldn't have happened if they pursued things differently, really. I mean, take the Bayonetta 2 example: Nintendo, in that case, took a risk, and probably suffered for it. Sony didn't, not in the same way, and the way they put it Monday makes it feel like it was to cover them from responsibility or something.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
I don't mind. You pick and choose your reward instead of buying the same game multiple times for the only reward you're limited to.

Say I want to spend $120 to help support a game. I only get two copies. I guess if you make the rewards worth it then you'll spend more.
 

Holundrian

Unconfirmed Member
Why do people get upset over literally vote with your wallet?
Finally people have an outlet where they can do this for smaller games instead of having to see the big publishers release year for year the same stuff they have little interest in.
 
It was obvious, and that's how Kickstarters work. I'm sorry you didn't understand that, but there's no need to explain the basics of Kickstarters when announcing one. At least you understand now.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be angry, but it's mostly a reaction to everyone else being angry. Negative emotions feed negative emotions, you know?

That's not how Kickstarters work - a few of them have done that, but most don't, and the ones that do generally announce as such (for example, the Bloodstained Kickstarter was up front that they had $5 million in backing as long as they could meet their goal). What really sucks about doing this and not being up front about it, is there are a LOT of people out there who do not know about this, and because of these methods they think that games don't cost much to develop. I mean, "If Shenmue 3 could have been made for $2 million, why should I help give indie XXX $500,000 for a 2D Metroidvania?! Is that game 1/4 as deep as Shenmue 3?" I've even seen those arguments here on GAF.
 

ironcreed

Banned
People bitched last night that Sony just put up Shenmue III yesterday solely to get credit for the "hype" announcement, and that it was a dick move to not fund the game themselves.

Now that Sony says they're also funding it, now there's bitching that they weren't transparent and that it "sets a bad precedent" (it doesn't, symbolic KS goals have been around for YEARS)

This time it truly is damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Seems to happen a lot these days. Which is sad.
 

JP

Member
Except for the part where Sony has obviously already committed to funding this project.
Where are you getting this from? According to the video, Sony if offering financial assistance to Yu Suzuki rather than funding the game. Has this been confirmed elsewhere?
 

_woLf

Member
Why are people complaining about this game getting more funding?

I gave $29 to the kickstarter and I'm guaranteed a copy on PS4, which will likely cost more when it's publicly released. This allows the game to be even better.

This is such a petty thing to complain about.
 
What's the scam here, exactly? In scams you give money and get cheated out of what you're buying.

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.
 

mrlion

Member
Those who think that projects in Kickstarter don't receive outside funding need to really read up about crowdfunding. None of you know how it works.
 

Woffls

Member
Fully expected this to be the case, and I after so long it should be obvious that it was one of the few viable options available to the franchise.

Don't see the problem, and if anything I am more optimistic about the project now that I know Sony are investing in it.
 

Dizzy

Banned
Count me as one of those who still feels happy about pledging.

I pledged $100. I paid more for the game than I needed to, but I get to try it early and Shenmue 3 is IMO a pretty damn big event in gaming history. I can have my name forever immortalized in the credits. Even better, although I own a PS4 luckily I can still choose to have it on PC instead as that is my preferred platform.


Seems people didn't even read the OP. Had Sony not seen proof of fans putting their money where their mouth is, this game wouldn't have happened. They wouldn't have taken the risk.....just as every single other publisher didn't over the past decade and a half. It's this way or no way.

We got Shenmue 3. Stop trying to ruin the dream lol.
 

antonz

Member
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.
 

bryanee

Member
Except for the part where Sony has obviously already committed to funding this project.

Only if it makes its Kickstarter goal.

Fuck waiting another 14 god damn years. I've backed it for $170 and if It comes out at retail I'll buy two more copies on PS4.
 
Sony should not fund the game so the only budget it has is whatever it makes on KS so the game suffers overall because it was "sly".

Edit: Also, don't Sony still have a "pub fund" for indie developers? How is this different? Bigger project, but indie developer, so the concept is the same.
 

xxracerxx

Don't worry, I'll vouch for them.
then they're obviously idiots.

Well hopefully they just cancel the game and people can go without playing Shenmue 3, that way Sony can pocket the 2+ million (even though it isn't going to them at all) and invest in more Destiny expansions.
 
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.

ding ding ding.
 

Fdkn

Member
I was going to back for $100 just to get my name in the credits. Now I'll get it in a Steam sale.

Great strategy.

Well, you have to thank this promotion campaign for being able to pick the game on a steam sale. You're welcome
 
It would be the exact same. If someone has a niche game they want made, and a publisher/bank/you name it wants them to raise X% of the budget themselves, that's perfectly valid as a use of crowdfunding.

I completely agree, it happens all the time in other industries/artforms. It's more the fact that they weren't immediately upfront with this arrangement (unless I'm mistaken).
 
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 their money away..for a copy of Shenmue?
 
The implication being that the only reason this is sitting on $2.7 mil right now is because of Sony?
The implication being 2.7 million isn't nearly enough for the kind of project Shenmue 3 is and you can't really start a kickstarter and hope to make Star Citizen money. That's a sure way to never deliver on a project.
They should have disclosed Sony's involvement on the page for transperancy sakes though.
 
I don't understand people who cannot fathom why this went up on stage. It went up on stage to get 9,000,000,000x attention. The End Period. It was Sony that was the publisher in the background.

You guys are grasping at straws here.
Yup. Been saying this since last night. Shenmue got attention from people who had never even heard of it last night. It got attention from loyal fans and from people who had forgotten they ever played it! Being on that stage was wonderful. Sony could have easily filled the time with a more profitable AAA mainstream title. But they gave them time, and thank God for that.
 
It was obvious, and that's how Kickstarters work. I'm sorry you didn't understand that, but there's no need to explain the basics of Kickstarters when announcing one. At least you understand now.

Nope. There is nothing on that Kickstarter site that says Sony was going to primarily fund the game.

You have people that were baffled after the announcement that Sony wasn't going to fund it, hence why it's on Kickstarter.

I know how Kickstarter works dude, but I guarantee you the majority of backers didn't pledge their money in faith that this game would be viable for other investors and companies to properly fund it.
 
What did people expect? It was on their E3 stage, it couldn't be anymore blatant. I don't mind either way, and I don't regret my donation*



*we'd better get a bloody boxed retail edition though.
 

wildfire

Banned
Not in the stock-market sense, but I'm giving money now in order to save money later. If the project gets funded, they have an role to fulfill in providing me with the appropriate backer goal. There are risks involved with this process, but weighing risk vs reward I'm confident that I'll save money by going this route so I decided to take it.

Project teams aren't obligated to complete the project. Up until last week noone was even stepping in against the more blatant "fund all my daily expenses while I do nothing to develop on my promises." Projects can and do fail.

Here's the biggest gaming related failure reported by Kotacku. Many more in the link

Yogventures

Earned: $567,665


Funded: May 6, 2012

Estimated Delivery Date: December 2012

This one's a doozy. A group of YouTube personalities called the Yogscast put together a Kickstarter campaign, raised over half a million dollars, and then abruptly announced that the game had been cancelled following a number of conflicts between Yogscast's Lewis Brindley and developer Kris Vale. A cautionary tale in Kickstarter funding.
 

TheWaxyPaxy

Neo Member
Have Mercy.

The people complaining do realize people are simply buying the product early not "donating" in most cases. I love this because its an actually substantive way to preorder fringe projects.
 

Raide

Member
I think deep down fans were hoping the Kickstarter does well and that with enough support, the Stretch Goals would have included an Xbox One or even Wii-U version. That's how some of the bigger Kickstarters have panned out.

Will probably back since I really want to see how Shenmue carries on from here. Loved the DC original and the sequel.

Ahh well. Game is coming...in a few years so it will be amazing to see this build up to crazy hype levels when it is shown. At least being on UE4 means it will look damn delicious!
 

Par Score

Member
I honestly can't see how this is anything other than fantastic news. We're getting Shenmue 3, and we're getting it with a bigger budget.

Buncha Chicken Littles up in this thread, hemming and hawing about nebulous 'concerns'.
 
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.

Since you are such an expert, please tell me. How much will the game cost? How much can Sony really just through out there? And is this a Sony IP that they own? Or an IP from a man who under his own Third Part Productions, will be publishing his game from?

Corporations and the rich fund a lot of stuff. This isn't brand new and the faux outrage is ridiculous.
 

Ty4on

Member
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!

Paraphrasing Adam said it wasn't their project, but that they knew fans would be interested in it and allowed him to announce it on their stage.
 
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.
Shuei Yoshida, is you?.
 
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