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Shenmue Online resurfaces

  • By Walt Wyman, GameSpot
  • Posted Aug 1, 2006 9:43 am PT

Yu Suzuki shows off massively multiplayer take on his role-playing series at China Joy 2006 convention.

Although the status of Shenmue Online has been up in the air for almost a year following a bitter fallout between publisher Sega and developer JC Entertainment, the project seems to be back on track. At the China Joy 2006 convention, Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki introduced a video clip of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game that showed off features, environments, and several minutes of in-game battles, according to Japanese gaming site 4Gamers.

4Gamers posted a new video for the upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game Shenmue Online. The movie, which clocks in at over six and a half minutes in length, gives a few hints about the game's class system. The video seemed to show that each class would be further divided into intermediate and advanced specializations. Apparently there will be two possible intermediate and three advanced specializations for each class. The video caption also mentioned that there will be quests for players to complete, over 150 of which will be ready for the open beta test.

A glimpse of some minigames, such as pottery making, dice, and darts, was also given by way of still screens. Also, more than three minutes of battle scenes showed several of the 1,000 combat motions that will be featured in the open beta. Some of the game's settings were showcased, from quaint rural towns to huge, modern cities reminiscent of Hong Kong.

No details about the specific status of development or projected release date were given.

76 Comments

  • The_MaiN_MeNu

    Posted Apr 5, 2009 8:24 am GMT

    So are the ever going to finish?

  • djdna514

    Posted Apr 3, 2009 8:10 pm GMT

    all i want is an ending to shenmue....a book, a cg movie......a paragraph.....please??

  • hmojo52

    Posted Dec 6, 2008 2:16 pm GMT

    where the hell is SHENMUE 3, when is that gonna happen. Why are the makers wasting time and money on side projects?!?!?!?

  • qgsdl1129

    Posted Oct 23, 2008 3:21 pm GMT

    Well its officially cancelled................

  • aznboyeeee

    Posted Feb 29, 2008 7:20 pm GMT

    this game has been TBA for like 3 or 4 years now, WTF!!!!

  • XDeadCellVampX

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 9:01 pm GMT

    To the idiot that stated Yu Suzuki was a traitor....
    As it states, the developer holds only half of the intellectual rights of Shenmue Online currently....

    Don't cast stones in water that you cannot tread.
    Don't blame Suzuki.

    He did infact give birth to games that we'll never forget.

  • mag1609

    Posted May 23, 2007 7:15 pm GMT

    what does TBA (AS) mean, the (AS) part, i dont know what that means?

  • rashpimplezits

    Posted May 9, 2007 1:39 pm GMT

    masterpiece gone down the drain, all of the ignorants will play the mmo and ask them if they know the game ,,shenmue'' they will say ,,yes, I play shenmue online'' and if you put them to play shenmue I and II they won't even give them a chance and thus the aura of the game will be no longer

  • rashpimplezits

    Posted May 9, 2007 1:26 pm GMT

    i subscribe

  • Deep_Frier

    Posted May 4, 2007 5:33 pm GMT

    KAMEEEEEEEEE...HAMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE....HAMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! it's gay actually it looks okay except for the final fantasy rejects, the magic powers, and YOU DON'T PLAY AS RYO! YOU PLAY AS A CUSTOM CHARACTER! WTF?! I WANT SHENMUE 3! YU SUZUKI IS A TRAITOR!

  • blacktorn

    Posted Dec 31, 2006 2:31 pm GMT

    All shenmue fans should forget about shenmue 3 as it's not coming anytime soon,instead we are getting this game,while not shenmue 3 it is still part of the shenmue series and therefore it will be great..

    You should at least give this game a chance before everyone curses it,if you were a true shenmue fan you should be glad that we are getting this game at all,i just hope it will appear on xobx 360,it should do.

  • Bravo118

    Posted Dec 24, 2006 8:15 pm GMT

    they said that the entire shemmue story would take 18 games to complete and now their mushing it all together with this? dont they see the huge demand? finish what you started! this mmo is gonna kill a great idea.

  • Lord_ZZZ

    Posted Dec 14, 2006 5:38 pm GMT

    WRU shenmue 3

  • 2w-sephiroth

    Posted Dec 14, 2006 9:04 am GMT

    You kidding? I want shenmue3! They maid a terrible mistake by not handing shenmue 1 and 2 into a japanese console. Just like they did with jet set radio future. Thank you micro balls for destroying two of my fav series

  • sainraja

    Posted Nov 4, 2006 4:49 pm GMT

    Why can't they just make Shenmue 3?

  • marty352

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 1:10 am GMT

    I dont want an MMO they suck. that petition been sent yet?

  • landisan

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 4:24 pm GMT

    This suck I WANT SHENMUE III DAMN IT

  • alimn1984

    Posted Oct 8, 2006 3:23 pm GMT

    http://www.petitiononline.com/shen1986/petition.html

    39450 Total Signatures

    WHERE IS THE SHENMUE III SEGA!!!!!

  • loung747

    Posted Sep 27, 2006 10:59 am GMT

    and yes i still havn't played shenmue 2 yet because i hate xbox and sony,
    only reason i own sony cause of finial fantasy

  • loung747

    Posted Sep 27, 2006 10:57 am GMT

    this game won't ruind it at all lol this just like another game they made for fun same place doesn't mean it will be in shenmue 3 or will it....

  • CrazySam123

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 6:56 pm GMT

    I apologise but i made a mistake, the company that produced Shenmue and Shenmue 2 is Am2 lets kick some a@@ people!

  • CrazySam123

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 5:33 pm GMT

    WTF?! What the hell is this?! I am angry, very angry. I dont want the Shenmue storie to end like this, beeing an MMO!! I mean, who cares about the storie, yeah its ridiculously addicting, but where are my QTE (quick time events), the awesome evolved tai-chi ironfists that can knock every leaf of a tree down or all the other awesome combat moves, where's my Free exploration of the beautifull environments or the interaction with lifelike characters of the world. Or the Beautiful redered cuscenes right after a tough puzzle or battle to move the storie around, or the ability to buy almost anything, gamble, win fights for money, interact with awesome, memorable characters!!!! Where's all of that, and much more! Yeah i want to see the end of the stori, but i want it in the right way, with another fantastic Shenmue title. I dont care if it takes another 20 million to make it, but goddamn it has to be made the right way. If there's any Shenmue lovers out there, of if you never discovered it, go get it (for the xbox) and join me, lets shake the Internet and make Sega give ASCII the production rights again and make the most incredible game ever, just like the previous were!!

  • monkeycoolsmg

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 6:35 am GMT

    I don't want spell casting characters,I just want my clean free battles,the grayish suburban sky-scrapers and the in bloom cherry trees.Don't fast forward

  • JoJomaster1

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 11:47 am GMT

    I can't really say I care that much about a online game too.... I just want my Shenmue 3

  • Artemis_D

    Posted Aug 18, 2006 5:47 pm GMT

    *sigh* I just want a third and final game...

  • judecalohan

    Posted Aug 18, 2006 3:47 am GMT

    ...

    Like many others I think I'd prefer to see a third game released rather than an Online spin-off, regardless of how pretty it looks.

  • rrodebush

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:43 pm GMT

    http://www.petitiononline.com/qd3d4312/petition.html

  • losikar

    Posted Aug 13, 2006 6:46 pm GMT

    i want shenmue 3... they need to get off this new fad off mmo's...

  • DoDDGe

    Posted Aug 13, 2006 9:21 am GMT

    I can not wait till Shenmue comes out, just hope that the online gameplay does not ruin it

  • savage161

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 6:23 am GMT

    Just Give me Shemune 3 and up the exposure becuase its a great game and not too many people know about it.

  • SpiderFreak

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 10:38 pm GMT

    Screw an MMO. I WANT SHENMUE III! Shenmue II was one of the best games I've ever played, even with the crappy voice acting and graphics!

    SHENMUE III!!!

    SF

  • Nawras

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 1:27 pm GMT

    Where's Shenmue III?!?!!?

  • LIMEBOB

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 7:17 am GMT

    Shenmue is my fav RPG it was the first one i played non stop and the level of detial graphcal and gameplay was increadible for the time it was made.

    good to hear that a new Shenmue game is commnig out but i dont think its gonna be that great if its online.

    well surprise me Sega

  • alpha_company

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 5:29 am GMT

    Woohoo! Duh

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 3:23 am GMT

    befuddled

  • tha_1for_u

    Posted Aug 2, 2006 12:18 am GMT

    i want shenmue 3 i dont want no online crap they must be crazy another good game gone down the drain shenmue,ninja gaiden,tomb raider,why o why

  • punkrockmatt76

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 10:40 pm GMT

    awesome! i loved shenmue! i hope its like guild wars, and has no online fees.

  • nintendorocks

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 9:19 pm GMT

    Shenmue Online is back baby! The oringinal Shenmue was kinda meh. But I enjoyed Shenmue 2. (the Dreamcast version, the Xbox port was kinda meh also) But we all know that Sega and JC Entertainment don't get along too well anymore so what does this mean? A new publisher perhaps?

  • Digital-Devil

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 9:18 pm GMT

    dlsmooth check your inbox

  • dlsmooth

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 8:36 pm GMT

    Could someone tell me what happened in Shenmue 2. I played it but never made all the way through when my niece broke the disc

  • gamefreac

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 8:19 pm GMT

    I am really mad they will not say anything about Shenmue III but I will buy this game. Maybe if this game sells well, Sega will make Shenmue III. Trust me, I'm as mad as the next guy because Shenmue II was THE GREATEST GAME OF ALL TIME but at least there is still hope for Shenmue III. (if they don't come out with it then there is no longer a reason to live)

  • Digital-Devil

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 8:01 pm GMT

    "Thats retarded... Everyone wants Shenume 3... Japan dosent know crap when it comes to the right game.... Team ninja is making Xtreme 2?!?! WHERES MY MUTHA F***EN NINJA GAIDEN 2!!!!!"

    Wow they dont?, funny i thought they had pretty well mastered it

    And you're right they need to make NG2 BUT...sadly Xtream 2 sold VERY well in the US...and i think we all know why that was :/

    You know it'll be made, just when

    Oh and
    "What's with these stupid trend of going MMO? First it's Warcraft, then Final Fantasy, then Marvel comics, now this? *sigh*, what's next, Barbie Adventure?"

    This game is OLD news, the game first got word years ago
    And FF came out about 2 years before WOW

    And back to Shenmue Online, some people DO want it, it seems fun but all in all i would like to hear that Shenmue 3 is coming out
    I have a feeling if it does it'll be on the 360
    I've heard that it is (or was) suppose to come with a 1-2 remake for the 360 since not many people got to play the first two, but that is sadly only a rumor...hopefully at TGS we will learn something

  • banshe02

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 7:54 pm GMT

    Thats retarded... Everyone wants Shenume 3... Japan dosent know crap when it comes to the right game.... Team ninja is making Xtreme 2?!?! WHERES MY MUTHA F***EN NINJA GAIDEN 2!!!!!

  • hemakm3

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 6:29 pm GMT

    Just bring us part 3 please.

  • Kn0w0ne

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 6:25 pm GMT

    YESSSSS! Bout time. Yu Rocks. Shenmue Kicks a@@. I'll take any kind o' shenmue, although I understand the need to play part three. I'm dyin for him to finish this magnum oppus. Sega rocks. Still around, tells you something.

  • peacenutman

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 6:16 pm GMT

    What's with these stupid trend of going MMO? First it's Warcraft, then Final Fantasy, then Marvel comics, now this? *sigh*, what's next, Barbie Adventure?

  • sirbargearse

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 6:10 pm GMT

    I'm just glad to hear that Sega and the other mob were able to sort things out and get Shenmue back. But like the bulk of gamers here on Gamespot I would rather that they just stick to the plan and release a Part III. I WANNA ASK FOR SAILORS dammit! LOL

    The original DC version really captured Japan's spirit as when I was over there it was trippy feeling like I had already been there! But with a online Multiplayer job like what they're going to release it seems they'll lose that charm. Cos you're gonna be too busy trying to dodge spammers or online dweebs trying to level up or cheat or basically just get in your face!

  • Shtinky

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 5:39 pm GMT

    I'll be one of the 12 shenmue fans who buys this.

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