Shenmue fans are meant to finally be getting Shenmue 3 – the long-awaited sequel to the much loved Sega Dreamcast classics – in 2018.
Shenmue 3 is scheduled to arrive on PS4 and PC at the end of the year, more than 17 years after the release of Shenmue 2 on the Dreamcast.
The Sony and crowdfunded-back game will continue the story of Ryo Hazuki, who is seeking revenge for the murder of his father, a Martial Arts master.
The original Shenmue games were groundbreaking – giving players a huge amount of freedom in a living, breathing world with stunning graphics for the time.
Current open world games owe a huge debt to Shenmue, and now fans could be set to relive what made the first two entries in the series so special.
Express.co.uk previously revealed how Shenmue 1 and 2 could be getting the HD Remastered treatment.
Listings for the ‘Shenmue 1 & 2 pack’ emerged on a number of websites of retailers based in the Czech Republic and Slovakia towards the end of 2017.
There was no extra information, release date, or box art available for the alleged Shenmue 1 & 2 pack for PS4 and Xbox One.
However, the close proximity between these retailers may suggest a local distributor may have sent out some information too early.
And now as the New Year kicked off, fans have been teased that – as well as Shenmue 3 – 2018 will hold more Shenmue releases.
Cedric Biscay is a producer for Shenmue 3 alongside series creator and Sega gaming legend Yu Suzuki.
As 2018 began, he took to Twitter to reassure fans that Shenmue 3 would have a release this year – and revealed that other surprises are in store.
He tweeted: “I wish you a Happy New Year ! All the best for 2018 ! It will be great with the #Shenmue3 release on #PS4 and #PC and many other surprises.”
The tweet left fans hoping that Shenmue 1 and Shenmue 2 HD remasters were in the works.
One fan tweeted: “Surprises??? Maybe Shenmue HD? Happy New year!!!”
While another posted: “You mean #SHENMUEHD and a confirmation of #Shenmue4?”
And one added: “Please tell @PlayStation to release shenmue HD 1&2 .. many haven’t had the chance to finish the two masterpieces !!”
For fans who didn’t get play Shenmue 1 and 2 when it was first released, an HD remaster would be the perfect way to introduce them to the series.
Shenmue and Shenmue 2 are two of the best games released on the Dreamcast, Sega’s last console.
At the time of its release, Shenmue was the most expensive video game ever made.
It was originally meant to have a huge number of chapters, but the end of the Dreamcast seemingly signalled the end for the series.
The Dreamcast was discontinued worldwide less than three years after it was first launched in Japan.
This came after sales did not meet Sega’s expectations, despite a series of price cuts, and the stiff competition from the PlayStation 2.
However the Dreamcast did managed to sell more than nine million units worldwide – and included a number of major innovations.
It was the first console to include a built-in modem for online gaming, paving the way for Xbox Live and PSN.
It also included the VMU, a memory card which had a screen for mini games on the go, that slotted into the controller.
It provided a tiny second screen for gamers, which could be seen as an early precursor to the Wii U’s idea of two screen gaming.
Shenmue 2 came out in 2001 and for years fans had hoped the series and the story would be continued.
When all hope seemed lost, Shenmue 3 was announced in 2015 at the PlayStation event at E3.
It was announced at the same event as the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, another game fans had long called for.
The news left a number of fans in attendance visibly shocked and overwhelmed.