SOA Comments on Shenmue Demo

One of the most common questions we receive from readers is, When will a Shenmue demo release in the US? Today, GameSpot News spoke with Sega of America on the subject and learned that there is no plan for it to release in the US any time soon.

According to a representative for the company, several changes would need to be made to the demo before it could be brought out in the States. For example, some animation on the faces may need to be altered so that English speech will sync with characters' mouth motions. Also, Sega of Japan's executive director Eiichi Yukawa (the guy on the Japanese Dreamcast box and advertisements) plays a main role in the currently Japanese Shenmue demo. He would likely be removed from the demo for the US market, as few people know of him here.

Sega recently revealed to members of the US press, including GameSpot News, that Shenmue will not release in the US until the third quarter of next year ( possibly in the fall). So, releasing a demo in the US now would seem very premature and would likely confuse gamers.

The highly anticipated Shenmue releases in Japan next spring. According to Sega representatives, the game will undergo heavy translation for the US market, and several graphic objects (such as signs or names of shops) will need to be altered. For a peek at the game's forklift sequence, which was first revealed at the Tokyo Game Show, click on the link to the right.