Ys Net has provided Kickstarter backers of Shenmue 3 with an update regarding the fallout surrounding the game’s exclusivity to the Epic Game Store – and will be providing refunds to unsatisfied customers, while more patient ones can wait a year for a Steam key so they can play on the platform of their choice.
The update comes in the wake of the news – revealed at last month’s E3 – that, upon its release later this year, Shenmue 3 would now be an Epic Game Store exclusive on PC. Further clarity was provided that Shenmue 3 would be coming to Steam at a later date, while today Ys Net provided a more definitive statement.
“As noted in the updates and survey at launch, we had originally planned for PC distribution through Steam,” says the update circulated to Kickstarter backers. “Taking publishing and sales considerations into account, Ys Net and Deep Silver agreed to our partnership with Epic Games Store on PC version distribution. As a publishing partner, Deep Silver has greatly contributed not only to sales and marketing, but to scaling up the game so there is more Shenmue III to begin with. Also, Epic Games has been with us from the start of the project when we adopted Unreal Engine 4 for development, and have given us their support throughout the development process.
