Shenmue III Trial Version Announced

Developer Ys Net has posted an announcement on Shenmue III‘s official site regarding its upcoming trial version, available to its Kickstarter supporters and Slacker Backers. While an official date is yet forthcoming, the trial version is expected to go live during the second half of September. Estimated to cover one hour’s worth of playtime, the trial version will consist of a stand-alone act taking place in Bailu Village, the game’s starting area. Players are encouraged to replay the content in order to experience the multitude of activities planned to be included while the trial lasts. Save files, however, will not be able to carry over to the full game. The trial version has only been confirmed for PC, and will be available via the Epic Games Store.

Shenmue III‘s storied development history includes an announcement in the early 2000s, followed by a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2015. It was revealed at this year’s E3 that the game’s PC release would be a limited-time exclusive on the Epic Games Store, with backers who had requested a Steam copy having since been offered the option to switch or request a refund. The game is slated for a November 19, 2019, release on PC and PlayStation 4, with Limited Run Games handling the North American physical collector’s edition.