Shenmue 3 has 'just started getting into' development, aiming for 2017 release date

With its multiple-record-setting Kickstarter campaign now closed, Shenmue 3 has officially entered development, according to creator Yu Suzuki. Suzuki took to the campaign's news posts to thank fans for their support today, writing, "We have just started getting into development, and as we move ahead, I will listen to all of you to make Shenmue 3 even better."

But wait, if Shenmue 3 has only just started development, what did we see in those trailers? The answer seems to be proof-of-concept videos and tech demos - if what Suzuki writes is true. The more nerve-wracking question at this point would be whether Shenmue 3 can hit its anticipated late winter launch in 2017. It's not like developer Ys Net is starting from a blank page - Suzuki has had Ryo's journey in mind since before the turn of the millennium - but still, a two-year turnaround seems … optimistic.

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar+. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.