NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo oo..oh well. I was expecting this to happen sooner or later. I'm one of the fools who actually took a liking to the franchise. I'll always cherish Ryo's unfinished journey in my heart......forever.

Painful and unfair. How dare you start an epic like that and not finish it...

Its best this way really.

Segas been killing lots of there great series. At least have Shenmue die with SOME form of dignity.

nooooooooooooo..
I guess this takes a crap all over that sega TGS list that was floating around a few days ago.. no Shenmue III and propably no new Jet Set Radio either :(

This is at odds with that rumoured about the TGS showings from SEGA. I don't know who to believe! :(

Boy I'm glad I read the most depressing story possible just before bed.

Hold up a sec. Sega can wait over a decade to announce a sequel to Nights without it's original producer/lead designer, but can't do the same for Shenmue (a game which had a larger following I might add)? Something just doesn't add up.

Everyone! Don't be sad! The Wii has a system update!

@Sailorcancer: Seriously?

@Sailorcancer:

EXACTLY.

I'd rather Sega stay away from this series forever now and just let the found memories I have remain.

They can't even pull off a decent Sonic game now, why does any one have faith they could make Shenmue III work?

@Sailorcancer:

Nani???(!) I'ma go check it now...

@beem: Agreed.

I'll wait until TGS to shed my tears over losing Shenmue. If it is indeed a no-show, then I will assume its officially dead, and will start letting my imagination take over for the rest of Ryo's tale.

If true, this indeed sucks.

@beem: Actually now that you mention it, I thought that Yu Suzuki was no longer involved in Shenmue III's future due to his focus on Shenmue Online.

Sooo... how is saying Online is fucked correlate to no Shenmue III if Yu is not the key here?

@Hyperfludd: @DONNYchiban:

YES! I think I'm the ONLY PERSON in the wold who had Wii Connect 24 on. *Hey while its on, its a GREAT CELL PHONE charger*

@AmnesiacJack:

Because with Sonic, they're changing his formula every new game they announce. As for Shenmue, they've been sticking with what works.

This is terrible news, by the way. I love the Shenmue series so much... It's actually the reason I bought a Dreamcast off of eBay today..... :(

@Sailorcancer:

Lol, I got it on. I just need to connect the Nintendo USB thingy to get it to work.

@DONNYchiban:

Don't expect much. Just adds a search engine, and you can see previews in the Wii menu for weather, and news.

Hmmm, Wii system update? Sucks being @ work :(
Anything at all to report with it? New Channel? WiiWare? Anything new?

This news is quite distressing.

@CruiseElroy:

Pretty much this:

@Sailorcancer:

But as Nintendo said in the message. If you don't update you can't use channels like the news channel.

@Sailorcancer:
Well, hopefully it also fixes the problem with the Nintendo USB thingy not being compatible with the WiiConnect24 channels (irony at its finest).

@Sailorcancer: cool, thx.

Give us Yakuza 2 USA with Japanese voice-overs SEGA YOU EVIL COPORATION YOU!

Whorechrist.

I'm telling you all - Shenmue should have released on the PS2.

If Shenmue 3 is coming out, it should be released on the PS3.

The reason for this is because not many Japanese gamers (main audience for Shenmue) buy the 360, so the game will sell less to a smaller audience in America or Europe.

@DONNYchiban:

The message you get tells you whats in the update. Unless its one of those secret fixes, it didn't say anything about fixing or updating the USB device.

@CruiseElroy:

Your welcome.

By the way that Photo you posted with the blog is China with Chinese shop signs. Not to be confused with Kanji.

@darkowl:
Xbox360rally posted a retraction concerning that list.
[gonintendo.com]
Turns out that the list was a fake.

@madman83:

LOL couldn't fool me. Space Channel 5 part 3 for 360/PS3 PLEASE

Fuck. D: Worst news ever this year, well almost worst news. Will be once its confirmed.

But! But..! Wait a sec.. Coincidentally, I've been doing random research, and a few decent boards (including 1up) have said that not only is Shenmue 3 coming, but so is Jet Set Radio Next, and Skies of Arcadia II (for Wii, while the others xbox 360 and/or ps3, I think)... Maybe it's just wishful thinking after all, but seriously, if there's hope, lets hope for just a bit longer, okay?

@Witzbold:

Like I said Wii update kinda counters the bad news :3

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
I didn't even know there was another Shenmue in the works, and when I finally find out, its CANCELLED?!?!?!
YOU BASTARDS! YOU BLEW IT UP!!!! YOU BLEW IT ALL TO HELL!!!!

You know, if this is actually true.

I'm gonna show up at Yu Suzuki's doorstep and go:
Would you like to try some Lucky Hit?
How about a game of Lucky Hit?
How about trying Lucky Hit?
How'd you like to try a game of Lucky Hit?
ad infinitum until I break his will and he releases Shenumue III!

@supercrap:

If he doesn't shoot you first D:

Does this mean I can no longer look for some sailors? :(

what the deuce is going on in that picture, and someone tell that chump to get his ugly mug out of the camera

@BPMΩ:

Baby, you can look for me ANYTIME.

This is a sad day for this devoted Sega fanboy.

May I just say GODDAMN IT.

Guys, like I said. Maybe its better this way. Sonic, Shining Force! Classic series have been DESTROYED by Sega.

What would you rather have?

Shenmue be canned, and retain its dignity of 1 and 2.
OR
Have Shenmue 3 come out and be a complete disaster, and be utter crap? And have the series be scared by 3?

@Sailorcancer: I could care less about the bloody Wii update, since that wouldnt have brought me the hours of fun Shenmue III would have.

Not to mention I hardly turn on the Wii at all reciently.

SatSR and Sonic Rush wasn't THAT bad.. =\

Bah. Sega really went down the crapper after they killed off the dreamcast.

Huperfludd: no, Sonic Rush wasn't THAT bad, but a short simple on the rails game is as much of an insult to Sonic as a broken, cheaply made 3d platformer.

As for Shining Force, Sega HAS killed the franchise, but at the same time, maybe kept it alive: every single Shining game gets press because people are still hoping they make the next one a strategy game

At this point I think people would settle for a sequel/remake of Shining The Holy Ark.

Another report that Shenmue's future is "up in the air?" OH LAWD what else is new. I want it as much as any one else, in fact maybe even more, but its time accept that the series is dead and buried. Its always sad to see any time a Shenmue 3 tidbit appears online anywhere (which is a suprisingly often!) and how many people flood the comments on every site with praise for the series. The myth that it was not popular in the US is bogus. Its just that many of us didnt get a chance to play it until after the DC was killed - meaning we bought it used and Sega never recognized the sale. And Shen2 on XBOX was not properly marketed which led to a huge wave of unsatisfied customers
at launch and lots of bad word of mouth.

And didnt adam from kikizo lose ALL credibility a year ago when he posted several massive articles stating that Shen3 was "ready to go" and they just need to decide what kind of disc to press it on - PS3 or 360? This guy spreads more Shenmue rumors than I spread liquid gold on the ass of Cambodian hookers that I then wait to cool and sniff heroin off of! (which is alot - Im a classy guy) Stop listening to him!

But really, just email Suzuki himself and beg him. Its the least you can do.
ys@soj.sega.co.jp

Thanks for the memories Shenmue!
[youtube.com]

@Hyperfludd: Sonic Rush was better than the other GBA games, but it was still a pretty bad game. Terrible level design and more of the same boring themes.

There has never felt to me to be more reason than now to comment on Kotaku. Something about Shenmue spurs my heart and soul to a degree that no game has ever been able to do. I imagine hearing Master Chief talking about finishing the fight only to never finish it.

I recently finished Shenmue II last week over again. While I respect that I may never play another Shenmue game, I hope and pray that Suzuki finishes his story somehow. What happens to Ryo and Lan Di? Xuying? Joy? Ren? Just the thought of never getting to spend time with the shitty English voice of Ryo ever again is enough to pull me into a downward spiral of depression.

Curse you SEGA! Curse you and your horrific Shenmue policy. Six years I await the next installment and six years I wait in vain.

Sega is really REALLY struggling since the Sammy merger. I don't know why, but some how, that merger seems to have just spelled out doom for Sega. The games were still good up until the last second before the merger. Shenmue III...honestly...even if it was made, I'm not sure I'd be too ecstatic about playing it. I really did not like Shenmue II at all. Shenmue on Dreamcast was absolutely perfect. It was so engaging. It felt real. Shenmue II felt more farfetched. Something was off about it. I'd love for Shenmue III to be made but I don't think it would happen. I think it might be time to "Dismantle the company and give the money back to the shareholders". It breaks my heart, but, Sega isn't even a shadow of what it used to be.

I hate to believe it but Sega has proven to be the biggest douchebags of the generation, a few superb franchises they apparently havent continued:

Shenmue
Jet Set radio
Space Channel 5
Samba de amigo
Chu Chu Rocket

... and the list goes on. I cant fathom how Sega overlooks the desire for continuation on some these ultra classic games.

@LucasKane: If you had played Shen2 on the DC where it was meant to be experienced, you would feel much differently. Playing the Euro import just weeks after Sega announced the death of the DC left me so angry. Seeing what the system was capable of on disc 4 was simply breathtaking. I can never forgive Sega for allowing the saga to end on xbox.

Thanks for shitting all over my lovely evening Kotaku with another toll of the Shenmue death bell. Now I just want to cry and cuddle my Ryo Hazuki love pillow :(

Let's all go and cry about the fact that Sega won't produce a sequel! Because, you know, everybody keeps saying how crappy new IP is and how much more preferable sequels are ...
No, we don't need Shenmue3 get over it folks!

If only they stayed with the original concept (Virtua Fighter RPG) I think Shenmue would have done much much better. Ryo was Akira and Lan Di was Lau Chan.

the wii update added a clock on the main menu....and the weather channel shows a moon, thats all i can see as a difference

This could be the greatest gaming injustice in the history of the medium. If a third game isn't made, the story had better be concluded some other way.

o yeah i almost for got i loved shenmue this is terrible i thought he was gonan get magical kung fu powers with that weirdo sword and now i'll enver know :( o and the news channel scroll news once you've visited it after the update

Yeah but Adam Doree is a pathalogical Lier. He also said last year that Shenmue 3 was finished in pre-production and ready to be ported to a next-gen machine.

The guy makes stuff up whenever his site is floundering (or he just likes to bate Shenmue Dojo).
No sale!

Well its good to know that SEGA is now half merged with the Yakuza. Oh sorry I mean Sammy.

Btw thats not a joke either.

Fuck Shenmue online. Give me plain old single player Shenmue with an amazingly put together story-line.

This truely does sadden me.