Shenmue III is close to becoming one of the highest grossing video game Kickstarter campaigns of all time after raising millions (and crashing the website) when it was first announced at E3 all the way back in 2015.
After absolutely smashing its original target in just a few hours of the game’s announcement, the Kickstarter now stands at an incredibly impressive $6,333,295 pledged by nearly 70,000 backers.
Combined with the game’s Slacker Backer, Shenmue III has surpassed the $7 million mark, which means there’s a new mode going to be added in!
Assisted combat will now be able to be funded in a mode called ‘Battle System Expanded: AI Battling’ as explained in the campaign’s Stretch Goal.
The developers have explained the added mode in detail, saying: “This control system lets you automatically unleash the perfect technique in response to the opponent’s positioning and distance.
“R&D for this system is based on Yu Suzuki’s concept for players who are not used to fighting games or for those who want a full immersion battle experience. This battle system is highly compatible with, and will be an extension to the current battle system.”
Shenmue III might also be about to break records, as it’s just over $1 million away from becoming the highest grossing Kickstarter-funded game ever.
If the campaign continues to get donations from eager Shenmue fans then even more goodies will be added into the game, including mini games, area expansions, game stalls and more.
You can find the full list of potential updates right here.
Shenmue III’s Kickstarter has an ultimate Stretch Goal of $11 million – almost four time the original crowdfunding goal from 2015.
The game has been delayed to sometime in 2019, but you can check out the trailer below if you need something to tide you over.
Will you be pledging to Shenmue III?