Shenmue III, the unfulfilled third entry in the Shenmue saga, is the game fans really want. Fans did not get that game. Instead, they got Shenmue Town. Nobody wanted Shenmue Town. And now, it's dead.

Shenmue Town was a social networking take on the Shenmue adventure games. It was released in winter 2010 for Yahoo! Japan's Mobage-town, a hugely popular mobile-based social gaming network. Shenmue Town, however, wasn't hugely popular—hence, its recent demise.

Service for the game ended in Japan on Dec. 26.

Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki is still keen for a long overdue Shenmue III. The second Shenmue, one of the most expensive games ever, ended on a cliffhanger, and the series has some unfinished business to wrap up.

Shenmue Town [Ysnet]