Shenmue 3 director Yu Suzuki thinks Shenmue 4 will happen, but it will be directed at a larger audience.

Speaking to IGN Japan – translated by VGC – Suzuki claimed Shenmue 3 was made with established fans in mind.

"With Shenmue 3 I created a game for the fans, but if I have the opportunity to make Shenmue 4 – and I think I will – I know how to satisfy casual users, so I want to make a game that everyone can be satisfied with," said Yuzuki.

"With Shenmue 3, I really responded to the fans' voices, so I wasn't necessarily thinking about making any money. But since I'm running a company, I have to think about what can sell if I continue. I've been seriously talking about it over and over again."

There are various changes that Suzuki would like to make should the team create Shenmue 4. One such change is an open world.

"I think that 'open-world' is the magic word driving current game trends, with all gorgeous-looking games now heading towards it, but it feels like it is becoming difficult to differentiate within that genre," said Suzuki.

"Next time, I wonder if it is interesting to have a closed space instead of sticking to the open world."

Furthermore, Suzuki acknowledged that enhanced fast-travel, time-skip functions and quest markers would make the game more accessible to a broader audience.

"I have ideas for how we can improve and incorporate [improvements] without breaking the feel of Shenmue. From a business perspective, it's important to understand what people who don't know Shenmue thought of Shenmue 3," said Suzuki.

The game director first made it clear he would like to make Shenmue 4 in November 2019.