A pioneer in gaming entertainment for over three decades, He has cemented a place in history for his visionary work. The advancements he brought about in 3D technology, open world gaming, and game play mechanics have broken and redefined genre after genre, influencing countless games since.

https://twitter.com/yu_suzuki_jp/status/611997426132455424

Go ahead and ask me anything. It doesn't have to be about Shenmue. From my past titles to my hobbies, go right ahead. シェンムーの話だけでなく、過去に私が作ったゲームの話から趣味の話までいろいろ話したいと思います。

Hello everyone, thank you for coming. I will do my best to answer as many questions as I can. As I will be answering through a translator, it may take longer to respond. Your understanding is appreciated.

There is a project I have wanted to do for a while now called Shenmue 3 going on, so please have a look. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ysnet/shenmue-3

Ok, I am back. Let's get started!

**We have been at it for quite a while, and there are still so many questions! Thank you so much for your wonderful reception! I had a really good time answering! I know that I did not get to all your questions, but there is a lot of campaign left. Thank you again! Let's make Shenmue III!

Comments: 1873 • Responses: 49  • Date: 

AlexWatchtower317 karma

Will practicing moves make a return in Shenmue 3 along with the FREE battle system? A lot of fans feel not being able to practice moves was big piece missing in Shenmue 2, and I also personally loved being able to practice and make the moves stronger. It really makes you feel as if you are learning marital arts and then performing them in a skill-based actual battle feels very satisfying.

Yu_Suzuki346 karma

I want to do it yes!

MagFreakingNeto254 karma

Will players have access to both the Japanese and English voice overs for the game?

And I wanted to say thank you so much for Shenmue and Shenmue II, it brought a tear to my eye seeing those games at E3 during the Shenmue III announcement, I cannot wait. Those two games are what made me curious about Japan as a child, and I am now trying to work as a Japanese translator!

Yu_Suzuki339 karma

I am thinking about that, yes. However it is not for sure.

It is because of fans like you, I wanted to make a sequel. Thank you very much.

RyoHazuki12246 karma

Will we see Ryo's Journal return? Would be cool to be able to flip the pages using the PS4's touchpad.

Yu_Suzuki376 karma

I would like to bring back the Journal. That is an interesting idea, I will look into it. Thank you.

The_Dukkhanator240 karma

How accurately will Shenmue III be compared to your original vision of the game or will there be major compromises?

Yu_Suzuki353 karma

There are a total of 11 chapters that make up the whole story. Over the past 14 years I originally planned for there to 4 or five games to the series. If at all possible, I would still like to realize the full story of 11 chapters.

vspectra192 karma

Hello Suzuku-san! Will a day-to-night cycle and weather system return to Shenmue 3? They added so much to the atmosphere of previous games. Thank you Suzuki-san!

Yu_Suzuki228 karma

Of course!

kncrnr173 karma

Any possibility of a bicycle finally being added to Shenmue 3? Thank you so much again, Yu!

Yu_Suzuki416 karma

There is a 60 horsepower bike in Shenmue 1. For Shenmue, 3 I was thinking about something with 1 horsepower.

The_Dukkhanator154 karma

Will Shenmue III enable PayPal or a means to donate to the project when the Kickstarter ends? Projects like Star Citizen gained tens of millions in donations by allowing this.

Yu_Suzuki178 karma

I am still thinking about it, but have not decided yet.

LyonKnight142 karma

What do you think of the current state of Japanese game development?

Yu_Suzuki428 karma

I see the share of mobile games increasing, the budgets of games decreasing. It will be harder to express a game's vision.

I would hope the console and PC markets gain more popularity.

2ndOpp141 karma

Shenmue is a Peach Blossom tree correct? Could you tell us what type of tree exactly?

I would like to plant one.

Yu_Suzuki239 karma

It is more like a cherry blossom tree, that blooms its flowers in the springtime. It is actually a tree I made up for the story.

stepox137 karma

Can we expect more duck racing in Shenmue III? That was the best easter egg I've ever seen in a video game.

Yu_Suzuki136 karma

I would love it.

eldasto136 karma

I love the music from Shenmue, if anything kept me thinking about Shenmue from time to time during these 10+ years it was the music. Was is your favorite piece from the soundtrack? Thank you for bringing Shenmue to our lives, I can't thank you enough.

Yu_Suzuki222 karma

Of course I love both the Shenmue and Shenhua themes, and all of them really, but the one that really sticks with me is the Tomato Mart.

AlexWatchtower122 karma

Will you reassure us that Ryo's face will be changed back to the Ryo we all know and love when Shenmue 3 releases, and not this impostor wearing Ryo's jacket that you have on Kickstarter? That is NOT our Ryo!

Yu_Suzuki276 karma

I am not happy with Ryo's face. It will be the face I have in my mind in the end.

prezbotyrion74 karma

Will the band-aid ever come off?

Yu_Suzuki173 karma

I am considering a special option where it could be removed.

OfTheCoast104 karma

I've always wondered, why did you set the game in the 1980s rather than present day?

Yu_Suzuki222 karma

I wanted put forward the differences in culture and values between the two periods.

shenmue_500k92 karma

Our fifty ninth question from the 500k community. -What Sega console is your favourite and why?

Yu_Suzuki234 karma

The Dreamcast. It has really good balance. I was involved with the hardware as well, so it had a lot of meaning for me.

GuppyBerkley89 karma

Love your work! You are a pioneer in this industry! As for my question:

How much game elements/features will we be missing in the game if the campaign doesn't reach the $5 million mark?

Yu_Suzuki208 karma

I will say this: if we reach the $5 mil mark, one of the things I really want to do with Shenmue 3 will become a reality.

At $10 million, it will truly have the features of an open world.

diego_al80 karma

Will Ryo ever go back to Japan?

Yu_Suzuki121 karma

Not in 3.

Yu_Suzuki74 karma

Not in 3.

omgdonerkebab78 karma

What will Ryo do to earn money in Shenmue 3?

As great and engrossing as the story and gameplay were in Shenmue 1 and 2, I (and many others) really really liked the forklift driving. It was like I could learn a new (video game) skill, get good at it, and putter around the docks like a badass.

Yu_Suzuki110 karma

There will be part time jobs that will be indicative of those you would find in China. In the Stretch goals there will also be the old favorites.

BradBrains2776 karma

How was it working with mega64?

Yu_Suzuki112 karma

It was really fun. I would love to do it again.

I hope they pitch in for the replica Ryo jacktet!

prezbotyrion76 karma

I have two important questions for you:

Do you know where I can find some sailors?

Would you like to try a game of Lucky Hit?

Yu_Suzuki132 karma

Yes, but not right now.

Uh, ok.

htsukebe72 karma

Are you still involved in any programming activities?

Yu_Suzuki130 karma

I still write algorithms, logic verification, and make simple prototypes.

bejii67 karma

Do you have any more details to share about the stretch goals? It's not clear to me what a "Rapport System" or "Character Perspective System" entails.

Yu_Suzuki115 karma

They are new systems, so naturally they need new names. The Rapport System will govern changes in Shenhua's actions depending on your conversations with or actions towards her. The "Character Perspective System" will highlight different characters personalities as they go through the story.

MasterInterface64 karma

Have you ever consider telling the rest of the tale for Shenmue in a book if the opportunity to make Shenmue III never came up?

Yu_Suzuki133 karma

Yes, I have but if I did do that, it would give away the end of the story, and I thought that would be a big minus.

Takai_Sensei63 karma

English below! But why learn Japanese if not to try speaking to one of my heroes?

鈴木さん、来てくれたありがとうございます!シェンムーは私の日本に来た理由ですよ!そのゲームに見せた生きている町や人々はそんなに自然でリアルでしたから、自分で日本を見たかったです。それから、今は日本に住んでいるのは4年目です。

聞きたいことは何億円持ったら夢のシェンムーがどんなゲームを作るでしょうか?

そして、何かの気に入った特徴やゲームプレイはシェンムー1か2には出られなかったですか?

(Suzuki-san, thank you for coming today! Shenmue is the reason I came to Japan. Those living towns and people you showed in your games were so natural and real, that I wanted to see it for myself. So, now I am in my fourth year of living in Japan.

What I'd like to ask is, if you had billions of yen, what would your dream Shenmue be?

Also, were there any features or gameplay you liked that didn't make it into Shenmue 1 or 2?)

Yu_Suzuki112 karma

One where the player could live in that world. A second life.

The_Dukkhanator60 karma

Will the gameplay in Shenmue III be more contemporary or will it be more in line with past Shenmue iterations?

Yu_Suzuki106 karma

Did you see Michael Huber's (of GameTrailers) intense emotional reaction to your announcment of Shenmue 3? Yes, I liked it a lot.

As for III, I would like to make a less stressful user interface, that will feature more usability. From now on, I will make that a focus.

stepox60 karma

Who would win a fight between Ryo and Akira?

Yu_Suzuki119 karma

Akira! Akira is up to 5 now, and Ryo is still on 3.

Shenmue_dude53 karma

Will there be more funding tiers added to the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter, specifically between the $500 and $3000 tier?

Yu_Suzuki79 karma

Yes.

taj199453 karma

Do you play airsoft, paintball, or anything similar?

Yu_Suzuki117 karma

I think it was Afterburner that I really got into airsoft. The office floor was covered with plastic BBs. Yeah, the Berretta 93R rocks. I put a real hunting scope on that one.

totoroslayer53 karma

鈴木さんの意見で,アーケードゲームの真髄は何ですか? その影響シェンムの中でありますか? In Suzuki-san’s opinion, what is the essence of arcade games? Are those influences in Shenmue?

Yu_Suzuki77 karma

アーケードでずっと3分に表現にしばられてきたために時間制約のないコンソールでのびのびとゲームを表現したかった結果、シェンムーというゲームが出来上がった。With an arcade game, you are restricted to a 3 minute window to express what the game is. That is how I made games for the longest time. I wanted to create a game that could be played at a more leisurely pace, so I created what ended up being Shenmue.

fluidmint50 karma

Shenmue 3 is just the start. How successful does the game need to be for us to get Shenmue 4 and so on until the saga is complete?

Yu_Suzuki117 karma

If the fans are not happy with 3 there will not be a 4. So I please hope we can together make this game the best it can be.

cuatrodemayo50 karma

Suzuki-San...welcome to the fantasy zone! It's finally happening. Any plans on more arcade games within Shenmue III?

Yu_Suzuki169 karma

I plan on making plans.

Kirix49 karma

Do you have any dogs or cats?

Yu_Suzuki122 karma

3 yorkshire terriers and a turtle.

dreadnaught0846 karma

Any chance of Shenmue 1 and 2 HD remake or at least ports? Many gamers today never played the first two games and may feel alienated from Shenmue 3

Any info on the stretch goals for Choubu and Bailu village?

How big is Shenmue 3 compared to the first two games in terms of story length and game world size?

There is a strawpoll on the Kickstarter comments with over 2000 people saying they would buy a PS4 psychical copy of the game. Any plans on doing one?

Yu_Suzuki47 karma

Any info on the stretch goals for Choubu and Bailu village?

Choubu is a riverside village with lots of shops, souvenir stores, hotels and temples. The quests in this village should be very enjoyable, I think.

Bailu is the village where Shenhua was raised and also a place that Ryo's father, Iwao, had visited when he was younger. Here as well the quests will play an important role as Ryo and Shenhua start their journey.

renegadeavenger46 karma

1.) Yu, are you really going to be signing your autograph on the illustration for the $300 kickstarter signed collectors edition? So far there is almost 2000 backers, that is a lot of illustrations to sign! 2.) Will you please keep the japanese audio for Shenmue III? A lot of fan loves the Japanese voice overs over the US voice overs.

Yu_Suzuki66 karma

1.) Of course I will write them all myself!

wonkah66644 karma

When creating Shenmue 3, will you use any assets at all from 1 & 2? Or do you have to start all over from scratch because SEGA still owns the first two games?

Yu_Suzuki83 karma

The assets from 1 & 2 will get a lot of use.

Shenmuejp342 karma

鈴木さんこんにちは! シェンムー3は、1章と2のように日本語ボイスがあるのでしょうか? 公式サイトで松風雅也さんが紹介されてましたが、主人公芭月涼の声優は1章と2と同じく松風雅也さんなのでしょうか? キックスターター応援してます!シェンムー3の開発頑張ってください。 (前の記事にも同じ質問をしましたが、もう一度こちらに書いておきます)

Yu_Suzuki49 karma

あります!

The_Dukkhanator41 karma

Are all the towns listed in the Kickstarter stretch goals in the game already, or are the stretch goals only there as a means to help give them more features and spice?

Yu_Suzuki47 karma

They are there, but with more powered up through the stretch goals.

tcgknight38 karma

What was your inspiration for the story behind the first two Shenmue games?

Yu_Suzuki92 karma

When I was making Virtua Fighter, I went location hunting in China. I was very inspired by Chinese martial arts. That very well may have been the beginning.

synapticwave38 karma

Will there be forklift gameplay in Shenmue III?

Yu_Suzuki63 karma

Look for it in the Stretch Goals!

The_Dukkhanator36 karma

Will character polls compromise your artistic vision?

Yu_Suzuki67 karma

I really want to get everyone's opinion on the characters. I have something in mind that won't break the world immersion.

shenmue_500k34 karma

Our fourty third question from the 500k community. -Given Shenmue 2's ending and previous items found within the series; will swordplay enter gameplay at all? What about the story, can we expect Ryo to use a sword at some point?

Yu_Suzuki71 karma

I can't answer that.

Ashikata33 karma

Yu are my hero!

Shenmue is credited with introducing/popularising the QTE. Given the significant advances in gaming systems and technology over the last decade, are you confident that you can show the gaming world something we have not seen before?

Thank you from all at Pioneer One.

Yu_Suzuki41 karma

Thank you very much.

hashtag_wow33 karma

Why do you create?

Yu_Suzuki147 karma

Why does one climb the mountain?

The shark cannot breath when it does not swim.

xerzo32 karma

Who is your favorite Shenmue character?

Yu_Suzuki69 karma

It has always been Shenhua.

JhonnyThizzlam31 karma

Will we see any capsule toys based on Ape Escape or any of the Sony franchise in Shenmue 3?

Yu_Suzuki63 karma

I have not decided the capsule toys, so please keep your ideas coming.

2ndOpp26 karma

Will the game take advantage of the virtual reality goggles on PS4 and PC?

Yu_Suzuki41 karma

Right now, there are no plans for a vr system compatibility, but I love the idea of using it to peer into the world of Shenmue.

shenmue_500k26 karma

Our twenty eighth question from the 500k community. -Will Shenmue 3 have any sort of multiplayer component? Perhaps Co-op or a versus mode?

Yu_Suzuki38 karma

I am thinking about something that would resemble that.

Some_Annoying_Prick24 karma

I only have one statement. I think I speak for everyone here when I say that Shenmue is one of the greatest game series of all time. And one quick question, what can we expect for surprises in the 3rd installment without spoiling the storyline at all?

Yu_Suzuki55 karma

How could I do that? Sorry, gotta pass. Thank you very much though!