20 Stupid Decisions That Destroyed Their Franchise
11. Archaic Design – Shenmue III
1999’s Shenmue is among the most influential video games of all time, with its innovative use of QTEs; realistic storytelling; and rich open-world Japanese immersion – including flexible day/night cycles and weather systems alongside advanced NPC programming – revolutionizing the medium.
Naturally, 2001’s Shenmue II largely improved upon its predecessor, leaving diehard fans salivating for the trilogy’s final chapter.
Sadly, the series’ poor sales meant that Shenmue III’s future remained uncertain and in development hell until creator Yu Suzuki announced a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for it at E3 2015. Endearingly, it met its $2 million goal in fewer than 12 hours – with a final total of $6.3 million – and backers expected it to conclude the saga in a satisfyingly nostalgic yet modernized way.
That’s the opposite of what happened, though, as Shenmue III was seen as a staggeringly archaic misstep when it hit physical and digital store shelves in 2019.
Specifically, Shenmue III was notably slammed by the gaming press for being a relic of a bygone era due to its technical issues and recycled and/or regressive mechanics, locations, writing, and music. We’re talking stationary NPCs, disruptive QTEs, sloppy dialogue, diluted narrative beats, subpar visuals, and reused songs from Shenmue II.
Evidently, Shenmue III was too faithful to its roots, and consequently, Suzuki’s planned Shenmue IV hasn’t gathered much steam.