Shenmue 3 publishing rights shift to Inin Games

Inin Games has assumed publishing rights for Shenmue 3.

In a statement, developer Ys Net said its previous work with Inin on Air Twister “deepen[ed] the relationship between Inin Games and YS Net”, adding it was “excited” the publisher would now be “shepherding Shenmue 3 into its next phase.”

Inin Games says it will work closely alongside Ys Net to “honour the series’ legacy while ensuring its accessibility to even more fans around the world.”

Ys Net is an independent studio founded by former Sega developer Yu Suzuki. In 2015, its Shenmue 3 Kickstarter led to two Guinness World Records, including one for the fastest $1 million pledged for a crowdfunded game.

Shenmue 3 debuted in fourth place in the Japanese charts on release, selling less than 18,000 units in a week dominated by Nintendo.