Sput Vas Normandy
There's a lot of buzz around Shenmue 4
No.
Shenmue 3 already looked dated on many aspects compared to many titles on the market. A Shenmue 4 reusing the same assets... wont fare well at all.
I honestly don't care if Shenmue 3 looks dated; for me it looks just fine and I also don't think that Shenmue 4 needs to look much better than Shenmue 3 even coming out on next gen consoles.It is a way to get money... but let's have sane expectations.
Shenmue 3 was something desired before it happened. It was that "sequel of a cult classic that wouldn't happen for more than a decade". Shenmue 2 is a cult classic and was very well received at the time. The demand for Shenmue 3, weirdly, existed also among people who never touched the serie, for the sole status of the game, being that game that people wish for, but wouldn't happen.
That's why you can bet a good chunk of the KS backers may not even be familiar with the serie. On top of that, even among fans, it was a different matter.
Shenmue 4 is the sequel of Shenmue 3, a game that didn't review particulary well and that is divise among its fanbase. Even for the most hardcore fans, it's a different matter to put between 300 dollars to 10 000 dollars for the sequel of your beloved game that you've been waiting for more than a decade... and doing the same again for the sequel of a game that released a year or two ago.
If a Kickstarter were to happen, I think people would be a lot more wary toward it.
That's why Shenmue 4 is in a tough spot. A really tough spot. I have no doubt the game is being made as we're talking or might be starting fairly soon.
But here's the deal here: Shenmue 4 can be pitched as a cheaper product to make, since a lot of stuff has been done and can be reused... but on the other hand, a cheaper Shenmue 4 is basically sent to death. Because it might be a worse game than 3. And then, what's the point ?
But Shenmue 4 needs to be a better game and for that, it needs to be pitched as a higher quality product... with more funds this time. And good luck with that.
On top of that, new consoles are releasing soon. Shenmue 3 already looked dated on many aspects compared to many titles on the market. A Shenmue 4 reusing the same assets... wont fare well at all.
It's interesting to see how things will unfold in the end and what kind of Shenmue 4 we are getting, because yes, we are getting it.
I think at this point fans care more about story progression than visuals (or should).
Shenmue 4 needs to appease the existing fans. If it gets new ones along the way, bonus, but I think we're at that point now where we just want the series to start answering questions and not trying to throw something in there just to please possible newcomers and publishers.
I honestly don't care if Shenmue 3 looks dated; for me it looks just fine and I also don't think that Shenmue 4 needs to look much better than Shenmue 3 even coming out on next gen consoles.
People have to realise once and for all that Shenmue is not a triple AAA title anymore; at best it is a double AA or a high budget Indie Game.
Even if Shenmue 4 managed to look next Gen I doubt it would attract many new players.
I might be wrong, but I believe the Shenmue series is right now in a better position as an High budget indie title and using the already made assets in Shenmue 4 means that a greater part of its budget can now be used in cutscenes for the Story and the improvement of other gameplay features.
I rather have a solid Shenmue 4 experience reusing the assets of Shenmue 3; than tacking a greater risk trying to look next gen just to attract new players.
The Shenmue series has a solid fanbase that will continue to support the series and any new player that becomes a fan is an added bonus.
Shenmue 4 is the Do or Die title of the series because if it is not done; then we can all assume the series will be dead forever; but on the other hand if it is done; then Shenmue 5 has a greater chance of becoming a reality even if it means that it will need another Kickstarter because it will be the last game in the series and every fan will surely want to see its conclusion.
Unrelated but @GhostTrick is properly confident Shenmue 4 will happen
Got some insider info
Being serious now, what makes you so confident. Not digging for a wind up or anything just genuinely interested.
Which is an even tougher sell for more budget or even a similar one.
It's not though, especially if Deep Silver and Epic are still the partners for 4.
Koch already said that 3 did "fine" on the financial front. And that was with 70k copies already going to backers. They'd potentially make a lot more from the sales of Shenmue 4.
That is, if people who bought 3 will buy 4. You're looking at less copies sold, not more.
And Epic wasn't a partner to the game. Epic basically paid Deep Silver which the game saw literally 0 dollars.
Sure, fans are gonna buy S4 but I think what GhostTrick meant is they are not gonna go as crazy for it as for S3.