Trailer also reveals collector’s edition of enhanced version that will include figure, artbook, other collectibles
ININ Games began streaming a trailer on Thursday for the upcoming Shenmue III Enhanced game, an upgraded version of the 2019 Shenmue III game. The trailer confirms that the game will also launch for the Nintendo Switch 2.
The trailer also reveals a collector’s edition of the enhanced version of the game that will include a figure, an artbook, and other collectibles.
Image courtesy of ININ GamesThe enhanced version of the game will also launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. This will mark the game’s first release on Xbox Series X|S and on a Nintendo system. Players who already own the game for PlayStation 4 or PC will be able to upgrade their game to the enhanced edition.
Shenmue III Enhanced will feature enhanced graphics and performance, 4K textures, support for DLSS/FSR, increased NPC density, a classic camera mode inspired by the series’ first two games, optional stamina system adjustments, health restoration before fights, reduced money barriers, cutscene/conversation skip options, an expanded quick time event timing window, and streamlined menu navigation. The options can be toggled off for players who want to experience the original game.
The publishing rights for Shenmue III transferred to ININ Games in November 2024. At that time, ININ Games and YS-Net stated that “the story of Shenmue is far from over,” and that they “are honored to carry the Shenmue torch forward.” ININ Games also said that it had plans to celebrate the series’ 25th anniversary and Shenmue III’s fifth anniversary.
Shenmue III was originally slated for release in December 2017, but was pushed back to the second half of 2018 and then to 2019. The game was then slated for release in August 2019, but was delayed again before finally debuting in November 2019. The game launched in November 2019 for PS4 and PC via Epic Games Store. The game debuted on Steam in November 2020.
SEGA released the first Shenmue game on its Dreamcast console in Japan in 1999, and in North America in 2000. The company released Shenmue II on the Dreamcast in Japan in 2000, and in North America in 2001. Shenmue II also received an Xbox version in 2002. The series was originally planned as a trilogy. Sega released the Shenmue I & II game collection in North America and Europe for PS4, Xbox One, and PC in August 2018.
Crunchyroll and Adult Swim announced their collaboration to produce Shenmue the Animation, an anime series adaptation of Yū Suzuki’s Shenmue game series, in 2020. The anime premiered in February 2022 on both Crunchyroll and Adult Swim. Toonami aired the show in North America with an English dub, and Crunchyroll streamed the English-subtitled version worldwide outside of Japan and China. The series premiered in Japan in April 2022.
Sources: Press release, ININ Games’ YouTube channel
