Shenmue 4 Fake Trailer Creator Apologises, Says it Was Made “Not Out of Malice, But Love”

In light of the recent “leaked” Shenmue 4 trailer that was called out by Shenmue 3 developer YS Net as being fake, the creator of the trailer has written out an apology. As caught by IGN, the creator – going by the handle JustAFan1 – said that they hadn’t made the fake trailer out of malice. Rather, they made it because of their love for the Shenmue franchise.

As part of their apology, JustAFan1 also posted some evidence of being the actual creator of the fake Shenmue 4 trailer through a link that was essentially a newer, updated version of the trailer. The changes in this new version included new music and footage, as well as their apology.

“I just wanted to set the record straight for all those who think it might still be half real,” they wrote in their apology on the Shenmue Dojo forums. “It’s not.”

“I know many of you will want to hang me for dashing your hopes, but know this was not done out of malice, but love for Shenmue. I realize I went about it the wrong way, and I apologize for that. But I hope all the media attention this has received will do something to convince investors that Shenmue is very much alive and profitable if approached correctly.”

In the trailer itself, they had a longer statement of apology, noting that they are simply a fan of the Shenmue franchise and have no official afficilation with YS Net. “I want to be absolutely clear: I am merely a fan of the series and have absolutely no professional or personal affiliation with Ys Net, nor have I ever had any,” reads the statement. “The creation and release of the trailer, which presented itself as an official piece of promotional material recorded behind the scenes, was a lapse in judgment. I take full responsibility for this action.”

The goal of the video, noted JustAFan1, was to “demonstrate a sustained and substantial market demand and community enthusiasm” for a new game in the franchise. “I meant no harm to Ys Net, its brand, or its loyal fans. My motivation was to champion the series and help encourage its continuation, not to mislead or create distress.”

“While my intent was centered on a positive outcome, the method I chose to achieve it was misleading and unprofessional. I deeply regret creating and sharing information that was not factual, and I understand the negative impact this misinformation had.”

The apology comes in light of YS Net having announced that the studio had nothing to do with the fake Shenmue 4 trailer, and that its use of copyrighted materials also gives the studio grounds to pursue legal action. Whether it will actually pursue these actions in light of the trailer’s creator’s apology is currently unknown, however.

“We are currently working with relevant parties and preparing appropriate measures, including potential legal action,” it wrote. “We sincerely apologize to our fans and all related parties for any confusion this may have caused. We continue to ensure the proper anda ccurate dissemination of information, and we ask for your understanding and cooperation.”

In the meantime, Shenmue 3 Enhanced is slated for release on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo platforms, with owners of the title’s original release on PS4 and PC getting the option to upgrade to the newer version. It doesn’t yet have a release date, however.