IGN: Shenmue Fans Rented a Times Square Billboard to Campaign for Shenmue 4

[John Elden Ring]

Shenmue fans are so desperate for another game in the long-running action adventure series they bought an advertisement in New York's famous Times Square to campaign for Shenmue 4.

Fan website Shenmue Dojo launched a campaign on June 4, 2024 to "support the continuation of the series and attempt to spread global awareness to find [developer] Ys Net a potential partner for Shenmue 4." Part of this campaign involved renting a 15-second advertisement on Times Square, which can be seen below, that displayed a handful of characters from the series alongside "#LetsGetShenmue4."

"Shenmue fans do some insane things to try and get recognised," an X/Twitter post from Shenmue Dragons said. "Are you watching Sega?" While a 15-second advertisement at Times Square can cost as little as $40, a fanbase paying to promote a series over its developer or publisher is still an unusual move.

The effort paid off too, as Shenmue was trending on X/Twitter around the advertisement and campaign. "Thank you to everyone that helped to show their support with the timed mass tweets/posts today," Shenmue Dojo wrote. "It was very much appreciated and proves that together, as a collective, we can spread the awareness that we are not going to sit back without a fight. We will continue to strive until Shenmue 4 is a reality."

The campaign began after series creator Yu Suzuki told Shenmue Dojo he'd potentially make Shenmue 4 if he found a publishing partner to fund it.

Shenmue follows a teenage martial artist called Ryo Haz as he hunts his father's killer in 1980s Japan and China. Shenmue 1 and 2 were released in 1999 and 2001 respectively but the franchise then went quiet for almost two decades before Shenmue 3 arrived in 2019, partly funded by a Kickstarter campaign.

 

[mibu no ookami]

Let them fix Shenmue 3 first... what a travesty.

 

[2spooky5me]

Shenmue 3 would need a total remake.
Also, I backed the project originally on Kickstarter... and they royally EFF'D my rewards.
:/

But I am glad this series still exist.
It's got a niche, but loyal fanbase.

 

[Polyh3dron]

Maybe I would be on board if Shenmue 3 didn't turn out to be such absolute trash.

That game was a two-pack of ass.

The Kickstarter (which I took part in immediately upon announcement) got so much more money than its goal, and the game was still delayed for an eternity and was basura.

So I would say #LetsGetShenmue3.

That bullshit that was passed off as "Shenmue 3" was some impostor Baby's First Unreal Engine Game nonsense.

 

[Muddasar]

No thank you.

Not after Shenmue 3.

 

[Airbus]

No thank you.

Not after Shenmue 3.

Havent played the game whats wrong with shenmue 3

 

[Nomen_Nescio]

Havent played the game whats wrong with shenmue 3

Go watch some videos of "gameplay", they game might as well have come out a year after Shenmue 2 it's so dated and crap.