Louis Cyphre
Banned
It appears Sony's involvement is to make sure the game doesn't get released on the Xbox One and Nintendo's new NX console.
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Yu Suzuki: Shenmue 3 Funding and Budget Statement
- Thread starter MouldyK
- Start date
It appears Sony's involvement is to make sure the game doesn't get released on the Xbox One and Nintendo's new NX console.
ISee
Member
True for Xbox ONE, false for NX. Nintendo is involved to make sure nobody releases anything on a Nintendo console.
Now statisfied?
I'mt not sure if Kickstarter history really bares that out. It feels like big Kickstarters tend to come in bursts.
I think people back something and start enjoying the hype cycle, and often feel primed to want to back something else. I bet there are a ton of shared backers between Bloodstained, Yooka, and Shenmue.
Didn't Yu approach Sony?
i don't really know if the overlap is as great as you think.
TechnicPuppet
Nothing! I said nothing!
Still stinks. Sony paying to keep this off other consoles while we pay to fund the development.
More or less, although they are apparently going to be helping out with marketing the game, and providing assistance for the PS4 port...and if I was a betting man, I'd say the reason there is no physical PS4 version coming from the kickstarter is because Sony is footing the bill for it, but because of that Sony is going to profit from the physical boxed version, hence why Yu can't/won't put it in the kickstarter.
So basically, Sony is going to help make the game more widely available, and promote it, even if they aren't funding development, it's still enough to justify it being console exclusive for me.
If Suzuki thought he'd have been better off forgoing Sony's funding and releasing on all platforms, he would have gone that route. But it sounds like he needs what Sony's offering. They probably offered him more than anyone else has in 15 years.
Yep. People who think the KS was Sony's idea are not well informed. Yu's will was always to make a KS
Also lol nintendo NX
You're right, and it stands to reason that Shenmue 3 did hits its goal incredibly quickly, partly thanks to Sony's conference.
$10m seems like a long shot either way right? Though I suppose given that Bloodstained reached as high as $7m from hype, it felt more uplifting than trying to get Shenmue 3 hitting $10m out of fear, if that makes any sense.
No. Sony is paying the stuff associated to licencing fees, dev kits, marketing so the Kickstarter will be used for development and development only.
Louis Cyphre
Banned
Don't all Kickstarter games need a publisher to get their game released or how does it work? Curious to see what would have occurred if he decided to go on his own for Kickstarter. Partnering with Sony is really his best option because that is where the majority of sales would likely occur unless Nintendo were to have a hot seller on their hands with NX like they did with the Wii.
sony is paying for development of the ps4 version + marketing. it would likely be PC only without them
qa_engineer
Member
To those who werent interested in the game but raised pitchforks in anger at the kickstarter, are you happy now? Thanks for ruining Christmas.
I think Yu severely understimated how little people wanted a Shenmue to go with Sony, he could have achieved a lot of impact by announcing the thing on its own on E3 with multiconsole right away or as strech goal, Sony-exclusive KS in the past have be very middling at best and the fanbase they got left its probably fractured between the three platforms.
I get the feeling that the crew have a very superficial idea of KS and how easy it could have been for them to reach a distribution deal with somebody else, as of now the project has many deficiencies when it, they are mostly of how they have presented themselves, the appareance of impropriety is a very valid concern in a platform that is a lot about goodwill and trust.
If the tone of this thread is also mimicked in another boards then thats probably another problem, people dont like to be talked down by other people for not donating.
I get the feeling that the crew have a very superficial idea of KS and how easy it could have been for them to reach a distribution deal with somebody else, as of now the project has many deficiencies when it, they are mostly of how they have presented themselves, the appareance of impropriety is a very valid concern in a platform that is a lot about goodwill and trust.
If the tone of this thread is also mimicked in another boards then thats probably another problem, people dont like to be talked down by other people for not donating.
Don't get discouraged, the game is still coming, and its not impossible for the game to get to $10 million, more unlikely things have happened than that. And even if it doesn't, it'll definitely get past $5 million, we'll still get a proper Shenmue.
Poop!
Member
MS can do the same for the XB1 version. Still doesn't explain why it has to be a console exclusive with this deal if what you are saying is true.
gamechanger87
Member
Complete agreement. I think some people on GAF need to temper their expectations and just be happy they are getting something.
This game will be heavily story driven and a direct successor to a game that came out 15 years ago. The limited audience for that is the primary reason why a publisher hasn't pushed for this game in years. Based on the GAF reaction I would expect to see over 250,000 backers by this point.
I get the sense that Sony is essentially taking a free ride on the Shenmue PR train and is putting much less money/resources into this than we were thinking. They don't have to do anything for the game until it gets closer to launch and they see what this entails. At which point they can pull the plug on their side of the bargain (ie no marketing agreement or additional support) and the game still comes out on PC.
If Sony still likes the game, they will do some Social Media plugs, PS Blogs and advertising on the PS Store. They then release the game digitally so they don't have to dedicate time/money pressing disks for a game they know isn't going to blow NPD out of the water.
While I may not like the fact they are doing it, Sony has played its cards well and got the positive PR and the positive reaction to an otherwise weak E3 with minimal requirements on its end.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
This is where I get pissed off with the current state of Kickstarter and the thread companies have been dragging people down.
More consoles, more platforms, means more money and being more conservative with game design. Some indie games choose to pretend stretch goals will be enough to get you every single platform on Earth, but then I regularly see those outlets as the ones that run completely out of money and struggle to fulfil those goals for a year after initial releases or even have to go to secondary funding in extreme cases.
PC+PS4 keeps development as rationally simple as it gets due to the closer parity between those platforms. Xbox One has its own wrinkles, and also its main base made its feelings somewhat clear during the early Xbox era where truly great Sega games bombed because the fanbase wasnt there, including Shenmue 2. Sony covering marketing is a big deal too, and that means going one console exclusive. See also Cuphead and co.
If Shenmue wasn't a "oh okay, I guess I'll get an extra platform for this by 2017" situation for people waiting 14 years and who should all be adults now with expendable income, then I don't know what to tell you. Buy the boxes, get over what psychological block is preventing you from finding their libraries "not enough".
Louis Cyphre
Banned
I don't think people have issues with that, I believe it's more about the premise. He came to Sony and then they both decided to ask the public to fund it while Sony makes sure they keep it console exclusive. Rather a strange way of having a partnership while expecting the public to fund the development.
My feeling exactly.
When I see those kind of numbers, I get the sense that people just have no idea what the ceiling for Kickstarter projects really is. The most backers a gaming Kickstarter has ever gotten was the 87,142 backers for Broken Age.
People seem to be projecting expectations on to this Kickstarter that are simply not realistic for the platform. The game will very likely be the most successful gaming Kickstarter of all time... expecting it to completely defy all conventional wisdom about the way Kickstarters work is just the wrong way to look at it.
pixellated_man
Member
So much baseless and unrealistic speculation in your post, lol. And Sony had a 'weak e3', eh? OK.
People were really negative about meeting the stretch goals. Kind of disgusted me to be honest. I guess people are even worse in regards to this though.
Maybe MS can throw a bunch of money out and get the US PS4 version cancelled like they did with the US version of Shenmue on Dreamcast.
I'm pretty sure it's a "go anywhere" type of game regardless of stretch goals. It's just that the more money they make the more life they can breath into the world. An open world isn't much without a bunch of things populating it, which seems to be what he means by a "truly open world".
gamechanger87
Member
The "weak" E3 comment was in reference to the fact they don't have a lot to show off this year. Two of their three big announcements won't be out at the earliest until Q4 2017, but that is besides the point.
Every single post in this thread is baseless speculation. I'm just posting my opinion on how Sony is positioning this. They aren't funding development and have indicated that there won't be a physical version of the game. They will provide licensing and marketing support. They have done well to associate themselves with the game, but their actual risk here monetarily is very limited.
What the fuck do you expect? Sony comes in and fund the game have it come out on XB1. Yeah sure, that's a smart idea. Fund the majority of the game and let it come out on a competing system.
None of these console makers are charities. They have to get something out of it.
If Suzuki took what Sony offered him after Suzuki went to them, it sure as hell was a lot better than whatever Sega or MS offered didn't offer for these past 14 years.
But its not really an exclusive isnt it? Sony is not taking a hit when it comes to investment, in that sense they won a lot when most of the legwork is done by Yu and backers, UE4 is a very versatile engine that thankd to Square Enix its gonna have a lot of documentation in Japanese and the possibility of a port its not some insane manner specially when other people are offering the same with the same engine.
Again, I get the feeling that a lot has gone wrong in this KS that could have been presented better, but if you think that middling sales for a port of a Dreamcast game released two generations ago is a good metric to dismiss the current userbase well, lets just say I hope Yu isnt using that logic.
There is simply no way that less than 50k is the current fanbase interested in the series, there are things that need to be fixed to cather to the people on the ones that have not backed, lets hope they have a better plan to do that than telling people to buy a second console and dismissive console war stuff.
Just your daily reminder people that SHENMUE III IS HAPPENING and, regardless of whatever wild speculation and conspiracy theories are floating around, we need people to KEEP DONATING.
I repeat: SHENMUE III is happening... and I CANNOT get unexcited for that.
I'll be printing off posters to post at my local Gamestop soon.
I repeat: SHENMUE III is happening... and I CANNOT get unexcited for that.
I'll be printing off posters to post at my local Gamestop soon.
I'm fueling up the planes for more skywriting.
Cave Johnson
Member
No, he doesn't. Sony allowed him to announce his kickstarter on stage and being in a Sony conference, it is only natural that a PS4 version is supported. That, is what Sony is funding. The marketing behind that would give more awareness to the brand but on the benefit of promoting the PS4 version. Nothing more, nothing less. NONE of Sony's funds are going directly to the "core" development of the game.
The only reason you think a lot of things have gone wrong with this KS is because it's not coming out on the XB1. Plain and simple, clear as day.
Shenmue fans, like myself don't give a shit what system it's coming out on. Hell, it could have gone mobile for all I care and I'd still get it because I want to see the continuation of the story. I would have bought this on whatever it was coming out on. Hell, I'm double dipping on this game when it comes out on both PC and PS4.
There's just some people who have decided to insert console war bullshit into the campaign who are mad this isn't coming to their console of choice.
Receipts... Wtf are you both on about. This was never announced with any exclusivity. Sony involvement enables the PS4 version to be made.
Incredible people continue to try an misrepresent the solution with all the information out there.
Portugeezer
Member
With the Sony backing at E3, asking for $2 million is not a lot.
They could be at $4 million by now if they made that a goal, $5 million would have been easily doable. $10 million doesn't seem realistic now.
Most sales come outside of Kickstarter. Sorry not many people know about Kickstarter and some people just don't like to pledge money early, on top of that Shenmue is a niche franchise. What it is managing is already impressive.
They could be at $4 million by now if they made that a goal, $5 million would have been easily doable. $10 million doesn't seem realistic now.
Most sales come outside of Kickstarter. Sorry not many people know about Kickstarter and some people just don't like to pledge money early, on top of that Shenmue is a niche franchise. What it is managing is already impressive.
Theonik
Member
I don't know, shoot for the moon is a good strategy to take here, the more excited people are and believe they can hit these high goals the more likely they are to at least get near them which in turn means we all get a better game!
Expecting 250k backers is unrealistic for a game project regardless of how much it is desired I think. You shouldn't try to project KS performance directly to popularity this way. It's a very difficult question to answer because no-one was even asking this 3 years ago, and this is the first game KS of its kind so a lot of existing data cannot be directly applied on it. We have actually had some dead IP revivals from KS that did succeed in securing orders of magnitude more sales outside KS after a successful campaign so there at least has been precedent there, but not something that is a direct continuation in this way.
It should be noted that if you look at the KS goals and the planning for the project they do recognise this and so are focusing in engaging a new audience while making the game more accessible for new fans, I am not sure that they are doing enough in that direction but that certainly is the intent, but of course someone needs to sell that... IP revivals tend to be very hair business.
I'm starting to feel the same about Sony's involvement. Their efforts are starting to appear very lacklustre, especially considering the massive PR boost they initially got out of this. They seem to be focusing more on maximising benefit on their side and minimising their exposure more than helping this succeed which feels somewhat shady, but by all means one shouldn't direct blame to the project itself and I would urge them to contribute. The highlight for me in this regard was the massive slip by Corsi trying to toot his own horn and letting implications of Sony backing that his department neither has the resources nor does he have the authority to pull.
They wouldn't have Sony's marketing money if they went multiplatform. Also, Adam Boyes specifically said they're throwing in marketing + money. Nobody ever said none of Sony's funds are going to core development. Suzuki only said that the majority comes from Kickstarter.
I've ready everything.
I just think we need a better explanation of how the world size/depth will scale with additional funding. If donations stopped right now, would we have three skeleton towns to explore?justsomeguy
Member
Haha - you guys!
Really great to read this statement OP, thanks for posting it.
get2sammyb
Member
Simple: it'd be the main quest without all of the window dressing. Presumably you'd still be able to go anywhere, but the things that you'll be interacting with would further the main story only. Raise the extra money, and they'll be able to fill the world with window dressing, giving you other things to interact with and do.
Sony is just in charge of marketing and shouting for this game from the rooftops because we all know this game is niche to the hardcore.
Sony knows they've topped MS in the number of consoles out there in the wild and so they're trying to market it to those same gamers while also appeasing to new fans as well.
you can bet shenmue 3 was shopped to microsoft at some point and they passed on it.
someone sacrifice a goat and summon peter moore
I think the logic he is using is not how the sequal sold 2 generations ago. I think it's based on how Japanese games are being sold on it now, ie they are not. The only Japanese jrpgs they are getting is kingdom hearts 3 and final fantasy 15. And the funny thing is, is that people think a kingdom hearts will sell so bad on xbox that it will forgo it. Same reason mistwalker don't make Xbox games anymore and same with namco making tales games for it. Those games don't sell on xbox.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dL198n2d0o&t=0m27s
Seems pretty clear to me that he's saying marketing + development money. Even if it's only the standard $500k Sony pub fund, it's more than nothing.
And understandably so since it was very niche and sold horribly.
Its the second time you make this stupid post towards me when I have explained my issues with this thing that im backing to play on my damn PC, again learn to fucking read. We need the Xbox people, we need the newcomers and we need the unconvinced. Id be okay if Sony backed this because it would put us near the dream game goal, but they arent and if you want the dream game then its not up users to pitch the game to others while being snarky dolts about it, its up to Yu to find us some new people and he is failing at the moment. Dont bother responding to me if you are gonna operate under console war crap mode.
Im surprised how closed-minded some of you are about this series, do you really the current funds are an adecuate representation of the interest it generated at E3? Do you think so little of it that you think that some random Polygon douchebag and some trolls were all it took to bring things to this point?