Shenmue III Kickstarter backers will have the option to get a refund if they are unhappy with the game’s PC exclusivity on Epic Games Store. Shenmue III was originally announced to be available through Steam. This was true until the developers of the game signed an exclusive deal with the Epic Games Store to have it be downloaded and purchased on their platform.
The announcement of where the game could’ve been purchased versus where it ended up for download upset the Kickstarter backers who supported it during development. Shenmue III developer, Ys Net, signed an exclusive deal with the Epic Game Store last month to have the PC version of the crowdfunded game be released there. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney sent out this statement via Twitter, confirming that Epic is funding the cost of the Kickstarter refunds:
https://twitter.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/1146103878540308481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1146103878540308481%7Ctwgr%5E393039363b74776565745f6d65646961&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.polygon.com%2F2019%2F7%2F2%2F20680074%2Fshenmue-3-refund-steam-epic-games-store-exclusive
Shenmue III isn’t the first game to switch to a different store between the announcement of the game and launch. Many have switched over to the Epic Games Store after announcing where players can find the PC versions of their games. These include high-profile titles such as Borderlands 3 and Metro Exodus. Currently, any Kickstarter backer unhappy with the move to Epic can do one of three things. They can get a PS4 code for the game, wait a year and receive a Steam key (Epic Games has a one-year exclusive deal for Shenmue III), or get a refund for the game entirely.
Are you one of the many Kickstarter backers who want to get a refund for Shenmue III? What are your thoughts on the Epic Games Store and games going exclusively to the PC platform? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow us here at The Nerd Stash for all of the latest in gaming, movies, TV, and more!
