Shenmue 3 Devs Finally Willing To Dish Out Refunds After Ditching Steam
It seems the Shenmue 3 team has experienced a change of heart regarding refunds for those who wanted the game on Steam.
According to a report from Eurogamer, Shenmue 3 developer Ys Net and publisher Deep Silver have agreed that refunds should be granted to Kickstarter backers who requested Steam keys but ultimately won't be getting them on day one. That's great news for those who are willing to wait, as it appears Shenmue 3 will indeed reach Valve's storefront at some point. Not only that, the announcement also puts a troublesome story to bed for both Ys Net and Deep Silver, as the companies really don't need bad press for a game that's coming out nearly 18 years after its predecessor.
As part of the news about the refunds, we also got some insight into what Ys Net originally planned to do for its Steam-loving Kickstarter backers. It appears Ys Net was going to offer Steam keys to those who'd requested them as part of their donation, even though the game wouldn't be sold on Steam until much later on. Unfortunately, "coordination with the sales policies of the involved companies was untenable," Ys Net said, and thus the possibility of providing Steam keys for the game's launch went out the window.
"That we are not able to offer Steam keys for Kickstarter rewards at the time of the game's release is a great disappointed and inconvenience for those backers who were expecting to receive them," Ys Net said. "We deeply apologize for the unrest caused by the announcement."
It does appear the Shenmue 3 team wants to make good on its Steam promise, though. Those who'd originally selected Steam as a platform can apparently complete a survey to select either a physical PC release of Shenmue 3 or a digital release, and then tick off a box to request a Steam key, which Ys Net says will come "one year later." That way they can still enjoy the game on the day of its release and get their promised Steam version when the game ultimately comes to that storefront.
It's not optimal for those who can't stand to open another launcher, but it's something. And if you're a big fan of Shenmue, that something is probably better than not playing the game for a year.
Shenmue 3 is just a few months out, as the game is scheduled for a Nov. 19, 2019 release. If more news breaks on this upcoming title, we'll get it in front of you.