Thepublishing rights to Shenmue IIIhave transferred from Deep Silver to ININ Games. The German publisher promises to “shepherdShenmue IIIinto its next phase,” making it more accessible to everyone.
That’s a good thing. It’s been five years sinceShenmue IIIlaunched, and it’s currently only available for users on PlayStation 4 andPC via Steamand the Epic Games Store. With ININ taking the reigns, we can assume the publisher plans to bringShenmue IIIto many more platforms, such as PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and maybe even Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and mobile.
Will Ryo Hazuki’s journey continue?
Shenmueas a franchise has a turbulent history — to say the very least. The original game launched on Dreamcast in 1999 in Japan and 2000 everywhere else. Its sequel dropped onto European and Japanese Dreamcasts in 2001 but didn’t arrive on American shores until Microsoft helped port it to the Xbox in 2002. A cult hit but a financial disaster,Shenmuewas left in limbo until series creator Yu Suzuki revealed a Kickstarter forShenmue IIIin 2015. The game launched four years later, but things have been quiet ever since.
But that’s not to say that fans have stopped asking for aShenmue IVso they can continue the story. On June 30, 2025, the fan site Shenmue Dojo purchased ad space forin New York City’s Times Square. Since then, the site owners and fans have spreadShenmue IVawareness on X on the fourth day of every month with the hashtag#LetsGetShenmue4.
So, what does the change of hands mean forShenmue’s future? Hopefully, something positive. In the announcement, ININ writes that it’s “honored to carry theShenmuetorch forward” and that “the story ofShenmueis far from over.”
“We have exciting plans to celebrate these anniversaries, ensuring that this beloved series continues to thrive and inspire,” reads the announcement. “Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements as we unveil our vision for the next phase ofShenmue‘s legacy.”
