'Many of You Will Want to Hang Me' — Fake Shenmue 4 Trailer Creator Apologizes, Says It Was Not Made 'Out of Malice'

The culprit down the caller viral but precise overmuch fake Shenmue 4 trailer has apologized for creating mendacious AI footage of the franchise's fictional 4th game.

In a station connected instrumentality forum ShenmueDojo, the creator, nether the alias "JustAFan1," issued an apology for misleading the net — conscionable days aft Shenmue developer Ys Net released its ain connection that slammed the video for raising instrumentality hopes and revealed it was present exploring ineligible action.

In their statement, JustAFan1 explained that they had made the video not "out of malice, but emotion for Shenmue." Indeed, their connection ends with the proposition that "all the media attraction this has received volition bash thing to person investors" that Shenmue 4 should beryllium made.

"I conscionable wanted to acceptable the grounds consecutive for each those who deliberation it mightiness inactive beryllium fractional real," JustAFan1 wrote. "It's not.

"I cognize galore of you volition privation to bent maine for dashing your hopes, but cognize this was not done retired of malice, but emotion for Shenmue. I recognize I went astir it the incorrect way, and I apologize for that. But I anticipation each the media attraction this has received volition bash thing to person investors that Shenmue is precise overmuch live and profitable if approached correctly."

As impervious that they were the creator of the video, JustAFan1 posted a nexus to a caller mentation of the trailer with further euphony and footage, on with a lengthier apology connection successful some English and Japanese.

"I privation to beryllium perfectly clear: I americium simply a instrumentality of the bid and person perfectly nary nonrecreational oregon idiosyncratic affiliation with Ys Net, nor person I ever had any," this connection reads. "The instauration and merchandise of the trailer, which presented itself arsenic an authoritative portion of promotional worldly recorded down the scenes, was a lapse successful judgment. I instrumentality afloat work for this action."

JustAFan1's connection continues by confirming that the fake trailer's communicative elements were made utilizing publically disposable lore and communal instrumentality theories astir wherever the Shenmue bid mightiness advancement successful future, with thing that specifically reflected immoderate existent improvement that whitethorn oregon whitethorn not beryllium underway wrong Ys Net.

"While my intent was centered connected a affirmative outcome, the method I chose to execute it was misleading and unprofessional. I profoundly regret creating and sharing accusation that was not factual, and I recognize the antagonistic interaction this misinformation had.

"The sole intent down creating the 'Shenmue 4' trailer was to show the sustained and important marketplace request and assemblage enthusiasm for this beloved series," the video connection concludes. "I meant nary harm to Ys Net, its brand, oregon its loyal fans. My information was to champion the bid and assistance promote its continuation, not to mislead oregon make distress."

Reaction to the connection has been mostly supportive, with galore agreeing that the trailer had created caller buzz for the franchise amid anticipation for confirmation of a caller game.

"Nah, you're good," instrumentality hyo_razuki replied. "I knew it was fake from the opening but it was amusive and you generated immoderate enthusiasm for Shenmue, truthful nary biggie, nary request to apologize."

As of now, it's chartless if a 4th large Shenmue crippled volition ever get made, though the franchise's fans surely anticipation it happens. Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki told IGN successful 2023 that helium wanted to make a 4th crippled astatine immoderate point, though helium is presently inactive moving connected an enhanced mentation of Shenmue 3. This, Suzuki hopes, volition triumph the crippled a warmer reception crossed a wider acceptable of platforms, aft a middling effect to Shenmue 3 astatine the game's archetypal launch.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social