If we actually take the emotional approach out of that last post, however...

Of course 5 million doesn't make a AAA game. But 50 million is what a game costs when the company structures are bloated and quite a few useless executive people are earning overblown salaries. This is not how a new indie studio with a handful of people works. This is how Sony works.

Tim Schafer hasn't stolen anything from anyone.

They had Sony before the Kickstarter went live, so the search for even more publishers was of no necessity whatsoever. :(

That is unfortunately the SUBJECTIVE or HYPE version of the argument. Sony wanted to take a look at what interest Shenmue generated, and asked potential customers to pay upfront. That's why there's a Kickstarter. The financing from Sony is all secured, and was from minute one.

Do you know why Kickstarter devs seldom offer console versions as backer rewards? Because, opposed to Steam or GOG, they'd have to buy these games for their backers from the console publisher, unit for unit, 70% of retail price IIRC.

Even RTG couldn't offer PS4 versions of Dreamfall Chapters to backers, the temp console exclusivity PS4 deal with Sony notwithstanding: "Prohibitively expensive". Sony'd see their revenue endangered, so it's not happening. No bulk prices for console keys... and no keys for free like on PC.

The Shenmue 3 Kickstarter can only offer those PS4 versions because it essentially is Sony's campaign.

Story's out; they were gauging interest, Sony wanted know if this thing has $$$$ in it, and the overblown hype has achieved it. Hopefully they can use the green more effectively than Tim Schafer can; and use it for the game.

The only thing that Sony is currently doing to help Shenmue 3 is, essentially, waving the fees for Ys Net to be able to publish and distribute a digital-only PS4 version. They are also going to provide marketing assistance, like how they gave up a small piece of their E3 Press Event to allow Yu Suzuki to announce the Kickstarter. Certainly these things have a monetary value, but it is not something that is going towards the actual production of the game itself.

The money raised during this Kickstarter is what is making the bulk of this game possible. It's possible that, after the campaign ends, Sega or Sony will provide some investment capital, but we have no guarantee of that at the current moment. As it stands now, if the Kickstarter doesn't get its stretch goals funded, they won't get implemented. Suzuki-san said that, if they can get to $10 million, he will able to make his full vision for Shenmue 3 a reality. For now, it is up to the backers to make that happen.

Yu Suzuki has gone on record that he would still love to bring his original 11-part epic to fruition. The success of Shenmue 3 will dictate how likely a Shenmue 4 and beyond will be. The closure you are referring to would only be considered one story arch in the grand tapestry of Suzuki-san's Shenmue saga. There could still be more stories to tell even if Ryo is able to get his revenge in the third game.

As for Shenmue 3 being a "real Shenmue game", I suppose that depends on what your definition of a "real Shenmue game" is. If you think it's about it being an open-world, then this might not be a "real Shenmue game" unless the funding level reaches $10 million. However, if you think it's about mini-games and fighting and story, this will definitely be a "real Shenmue game".

i'm not trusting them that 10 millions will be enough eighter for a real shenmue experience. but you have a point in there, about that the kickstarter will only produce a part of the full shenmue story

haven't read the thread (YET...sorry! I've only skimmed around) but just chiming in that I backed it day 1 for 60 bucks for physical pc copy. so excited. i'll be pestering them for it to be drm free.

I think because of the backers so far sony said they were going to help see Shenmue through to completion. not sure what that means exactly.

also in the reddit thread with yu Suzuki he said he hoped to do a Shenmue 4 if 3 works out. oddly that's a bummer. I was hoping they would get this thing done with. I don't want another cliffhanger like 2 and still not have any closure.

anyhow it's better than nothing for me. one thing that annoys me are the copies of Shenmue 2 for xbox are ridiculous now. I own the pal dreamcast version of 2 but I got motivated to complete my Shenmue collection (I own 1 standard release, 1 limited edition, and pal Shenmue 2). used copies of xbox version incomplete around 50 bucks or more. so lame.

and the last bit I'm with you skeptics about the money being asked for. if 10 million were to be hit quickly it's likely they would say "oh...we have new ideas of what open world means but to achieve it we now need 20 mill." and if 20 were to be hit quickly it would be 30 for an even truer open world experience and so on until Shenmue 3 has all the world's money. all kidding aside I'm wondering what the hell. maybe the more $$$ they raise the less % they have to pay investors like sony for game sales later since sony will have invested less. I know 10 mill is a fraction of what games 1 and 2 cost but still...those small %'s add up when you're talking about a lot of dollars.

might be, of course they would still try to push it further even if it already reached 10 million...

In my opinon, with 10 m and maybe a few extra funds a Shenmue 3 as big as part 2 is possible. Back then, they had to invent an engine.
As far as I know the 47 million cost back then was for Shenmue1+2 (including unreleased saturn version and marketing)

Today they just use Unreal4 and only need to deliver 5% of the selling price of each game to Unreal. Sony would probably also get a share from the income for downloads from their store.

From gamesradar: Remember, it's Sony's Gio Corsi speaking here, not Suzuki... :(

talk is cheap, they say they're partners, well ok. but i haven't heard a statement about financial help from sony, partners does not mean financial help. it looks like the only support from sony is talking that they're partners.

From videogamer.com: Note how he uses the term "backers" here to simulate a cooperative effort between Sony and the fans - as of now, no other corporate 'backers' are even in the boat. A real AAA budget starts around 30, 40m$ these days... where should that money come from if not Sony?

any possibility to find out how much they are giving? what does this statement mean "Sony is just one of many backers", that sony's financial help is already included in the 3,5 millions at kickstarter?

I doubt that Sony will ever publish official numbers (just one of many ways this Kickstarter is out of the ordinary...). And I think that keeping exactly those concrete numbers and relationships out of the discussion is what made the Kickstarter successful in the first place.

Sony is of course not "backing" Shenmue3 in the sense that they're donating to the Kickstarter themselves. That wouldn't make much sense, they would just give 10% of that money to Kickstarter Inc. and there's no reason to waste that investment! ;)

Instead, the term "backer" is used here to give the impression of a collaborative effort between fans and Sony to make Shenmue 3 a reality. Makes Sony look sympathetic. If backers eventually hit 6 million $ and Sony puts in another 40... Sony will still be "just another backer" in principle. ;) ;)

so we actually don't know if they are supporting the project with 10 millions or with 10 bucks

That is quite correct, and it will stay that way!

However, if Shenmue3 releases as a AAA game that deeply smells like fifty million dollars, we would rather assume it was considerably more than 10 bucks.

Shenmue3 wants to go open world if the Kickstarter reaches 10m$ (of which Kickstarter Inc. would still get 10%, and backer rewards actually cost money as well).

The semi open world Witcher 3 cost 67m$ to make... you do the math.

thanks for the information