The Shenmue III anti-hype train just keeps on chugging along. According to a comment on the game’s Kickstarter page, original Kickstarter backers of Shenmue III will not receive the bonus pre-order content that comes with the standard or deluxe retail editions of the game.

A backer named Antonio Miranda requested information from Ys Net regarding season passes and the trial version of Shenmue III, and posted the official response Ys Net regarding season passes and the trial version of the game. You can read the text of the reply below:

Standard and deluxe versions released through retail sales are not affiliated with the crowdfunding campaign, so will not be included with backer pledges, however, they will be available for sale separately. Kickstarter Backers will receive the Kickstarter version, Slacker Backers will receive the Slacker Backer version. Both have unique content respective to their versions not available in the retail versions.

A season pass is not included.

Trial version release date info has yet to be confirmed and will be announced in the updates when details are available. You will be receiving your trial trial version, but we must ask for your patience for a little longer.

There will be more information following in the days ahead concerning updates.

Sincerely,

The Shenmue III Team

What are the preorder bonuses in question? Those who preorder the retail editions will receive the “Blazing Kick” advanced technique scroll, Kenpogi training outfit, and a Peking Power Starter Pack.

To be fair, DLC was never addressed in the original Kickstarter campaign, and original backers paid $29 for digital versions of Shenmue III while the standard PS4 version is $59.99 and the deluxe edition is $74.99 on PSN, so backers still have thirty extra bucks to pick up whatever DLC may be coming. Still, it sucks that those who made Shenmue III possible in the first place are having content walled off from them, particularly for those who are already in for hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars (raises hand slowly).*

Unfortunately, this is just the latest self-inflicted public relations headache for the Shenmue III team. After a series of lengthy delays and late-breaking Epic Games Store exclusivity deal on PC, one has to wonder how much enthusiasm has been dashed in the typically dedicated Shenmue fan base.

From my personal standpoint, it looks to me as though Shenmue III publisher Deep Silver has zero interest or faith in the series moving forward, so they’re milking the game for everything they can at the expense of a potential Shenmue IV, V, etc.

Just a hunch.

Source: WFFC Tech

*Disclosure: the author of this post is a backer of the Shenmue III Kickstarter campaign.