The Kickstarter for Shenmue III has just wrapped up, and after the month-long campaign, developer Ys Net has raised $6,333,295 from 69,320 backers.
That figure more than triples the $2 million goal Ys Net set out to reach. This is the new record for a video game Kickstarter; earlier today it surpassed the $5.5 million raised by Castlevania: Symphony of the Night director Koji Igarashi’s recent efforts with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.
Shenmue III’s Kickstarter was revealed during Sony’s E3 press conference, and its goal was quickly met. Series creator Yu Suzuki later noted that, for it to be a “true open world” game, funding would need to hit at least $10 million. Asked about this recently, Suzuki said he wouldn’t be disappointed if that figure wasn’t reached, and that he “will make what [he] can within the budget from your money.”
The game is slated to come to both PC and PlayStation 4. Sony is helping to market and produce Shenmue III, but won’t be receiving any of the money raised through Kickstarter.
Release dates for Kickstarter games frequently turn out to be inaccurate. Keeping that in mind, Ys Net is currently aiming for a December 2017 launch. Due to exceeding $2 million, a number of stretch goals have been met that will expand the game’s scope to include skill tree and rapport system, as well as additional quests and expanded areas.
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