Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward (PS4)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC (PC/PSP)
NHL 16 (PS4)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel (PS3/Vita)
FAST Racing Neo (Wii U)
Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 5 (PS4)
Yakuza 5 (PS3)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II (PS3/Vita)
Street Fighter V (PS4)
Fire Emblem Fates (3DS)
Genei Ibunroku #FE (Wii U)
Shenmue III (PS4)

@ojmstr: Yeah, I wasn't really trying to say that Yu Suzuki is the sole owner of the Shenmue brand (although Sega has been on a wave of handing their IPs over to their creators lately, as seen with Condemned and Toejam & Earl), just that Sega is so on board that they'll pretty much let him do whatever it is he wants to do.

Hell, at this point they might re-release the first two games of their own accord.

@ojmstr: Here you go.

http://kotaku.com/getting-the-rights-to-shenmue-was-easier-than-you-d-thi-1712037863

So they're definitely with the program.

@ojmstr: It was in the mess of articles surrounding Shenmue III immediately following its announcement. I'll see if I can track it down again a bit later.

@ojmstr: No, I mean the process was this simple.

YS: I want to make Shenmue III now that I have a way to make it happen.
Sega: Okay, cool.

You do know that Sega forked over the license to Yu Suzuki without any questions or conditions, right? This should not be an issue.

You have a better chance of funding Shenmue III over $5M and getting them added as a stretch goal.

Yeah, I'll admit to not reading into it too much. My entire take on it from the start has been.

1) Shenmue's costs > Shenmue's profits.
2) Yet, frothing demand remains for Shenmue III.
3) Therefore, before Shenmue III can be greenlit, assurance is needed that Shenmue III's costs < Shenmue III's profits.

My original plan actually added a step, requiring certain sales figures for Yakuza 5 before the Kickstarter would be posted, but all's well that ends well, it seems.

Then ultimately we're in agreement, and I truly feel that Kickstarter should have already made petitions a thing of the past.

@Byshop: The question then becomes what about the first game could've been done cheaper, but I still think it ends in needing some tangible assurance from the players.