Videogame developer and publisher SEGA is keen on releasing the first and second titles in the Shenmue series as an HD remaster before Shenmue III releases in December 2017.
Before you get all excited at the thought of laying your hands on Shenmue I and Shenmue II in an HD remastered avatar, there are some hurdles SEGA needs to overcome. Complications pertaining to licensing and quality, as well as bringing the titles for the Dreamcast to the current-gen platforms, may arise.
For the unfamiliar, Shenmue I released in 1999 for Dreamcast and garnered critical acclaim. Shenmue II (also for Dreamcast) was the follow-up two years later. Rumors that an HD remake for Shenmue was in the pipeline have been swirling since 2012. Now, with SEGA set to release the third title in the series next year, the demand for the previous two titles will likely increase.
The company's keenness on re-releasing a high-definition remaster of the classic games was revealed in a recent interview.
SEGA Europe — in response to a fan query on the HD remaster of the popular game — disclosed in the interview that it was "investigating" the porting.
Dan Sheridan, the community manager for SEGA, shared that while the company was all gung-ho to release the remastered version quickly, it was not a simple task.
"Sadly, it's not as simple as porting the games to the current platforms, as we would need to ensure that any HD remaster lived up to the quality of the original titles. And with games as immersive as Shenmue 1 and 2 there are further complications from licensed products that were included in the original games. That said, we'd love to do it and are currently investigating how to make it a reality," let on Sheridan on the YouTube channel for SEGA Europe.
The community manager also spoke about the licensing issues pertaining to the game as the original titles had Timex and Coco-Cola products in the game. While the Japanese variant of the game featured Coca-Cola vending machines, the Western releases had them replaced with Jet Cola.
Sheridan rounded-up the interview on a positive note and said that the company would be keen on releasing an HD remaster of Shenmue I and Shenmue II. The team, he revealed, is "currently investigating how to make it a reality."
Shenmue III is being worked on by the series' creator Yu Suzuki and is set to release in December 2017. The game was crowdfunded on Kickstarter in 2015 and raised $6.3 million.
