Shenmue 3: 10 Things It Needs To Be Successful
7. Make Sure There's A Demo
This always produces more work for the development team, but I truly believe this is necessary for Shenmue. We're talking about a game that had its last mainstream console edition released for Xbox in 2002 - fifteen years ago!
Older gamers need convincing that the Shenmue name still has worth in the flooded modern marketplace and younger newcomers need to know what makes Shenmue unique in terms of its combat and storytelling.
A demo would be the perfect chance to collapse the huge environment into a small area, giving players a chance to test out the controls, try their hand at combat and minigames and soak up the charm only a Shenmue title can offer.
Why not even include an arcade or two? They're always a great added bonus. If done well, a demo should translate to greater overall sales and get the word-of-mouth out prior to release.