What is Shenmue?

Shenmue was a video game created by SEGA Programmer Yu Suzuki. It was developed during the production cycles of both the Sega Saturn and The Sega Dreamcast and it was released for the Sega Dreamcast in 2000.

Why is Shenmue Important?

It was notable for influencing many aspects of modern video games. It was influential in the use of Quick-Time Events, an aspect later seen in Resident Evil 4 and Heavy Rain. It was a game that preceeded Grand Theft Auto 3 in using full-3D free-roaming and real-life weather effects, and allows in-game interactions that weren't possible before. It was one of first true cinematic experiences in modern games, with an amazing story that attracts a huge fanbase in both Japan and The West during the time/

Despite the influence Shenmue had in modern gaming, the franchise remains dormant after the end of the Dreamcast and the lack of sales in Shenmue 2 in Xbox. It's been 14 years since the first Shenmue game and 12 years since Shenmue 2, and yet there has yet to be a re-release of the first 2 games in digital marketplaces (Steam/Playstation Network/XBox Live/GoG) nor has Shenmue 3 ever been announced by Sega or any developer/publisher in the last decade. And thus, we believe that Shenmue is in the risk of being forgotten and ignored by modern gaming culture.

And thus, we believe that Shenmue deserves to be preserved in order to remain remembered by the video game industry, and we believe that the best place for Shenmue to belong is in the Game Canon of United States The Library of Congress.

What is The Game Canon?

The Game Canon is a list of video games to be considered for preservation by the Library of Congress. The creation of this list is "an assertion that digital games have a cultural significance and a historical significance."

The current list of video games being preserved by the Library of Congress under The Game Canon is as followed:

Spacewar!

Star Raiders

Zork

Tetris

SimCity

Super Mario Bros. 3

Civilization I/II

Doom

Warcraft series

Sensible World of Soccer

And thus, we believe that Shenmue deserves to be on this list. Its influence on modern gaming makes it equal alonside Doom and Super Mario Brothers. And by having Shenmue on this list, it can finally bring back interest to the franchise by the gaming community, which will allow Sega to pick interest in remastering the game on modern digital marketplaces and allowing Yu Suzuki to continue production on Shenmue 3, where Ryo can finally face his revenge on Lan Di.....