Interview with Shenmue director: Get ready for Shenmue IV

‘The series will not end with Shenmue III’

After 18 long years, Shenmue III is nearly upon us (discounting the possibility of yet another delay). But Shenmue‘s director already has his sights set on a fourth game, weeks before the trilogy is officially completed.

In an interview with PlayStation Blog, director Yu Suzuki mentions that Shenmue III was written with the intention of there being future Shenmue titles. “The series will not end with Shenmue III,” Suzuki says. “Rushing to tie up the plot here would have made for a flat game. And I hope to continue the series as long as people are interested.”

So, Shenmue III will not wrap things up all clean and tidy. There will be unresolved threads dangling long after the forks have been lifted. When will you see the end to Ryo’s story? The earth will likely revolve around the sun many times before then. With a little luck, we’ll get Shenmue IV before the sun collapses into itself, but don’t bet the farm on it.

Shenmue III Out November 19: Interview With Yu Suzuki [PlayStation Blog]