Shenmue III pre-orders are now live, screenshots show progress and tiny forklifts

As expected, Shenmue III pre-orders are now open all around the world. The concluding chapter of the martial arts epic twenty years in the making will set players back $29, and no release date has been cemented in just yet.

You can pre-order the game through the official website.

Also available on the official website are new screenshots that show off the progress the game has made since it wrapped up its Kickstarter goal last year. Director Yu Suzuki issued a statement in the update, saying that he is “happy” to be making the game.

I have been completely absorbed in development Shenmue III recently, and often stay at the studio throughout the night to make it the best game possible. My life has become Shenmue both day and night, and I’m happy.

Please be safe, Mr. Suzuki. Don’t work too hard.

Yu Suzuki is living and working overtime to make the game a success. For as much as the series has gathered endearing critical success over the last 20 years, the financial struggles of the first two games still cast an even more powerful shadow. Shenmue III is as much a redemption for him as it is getting to finish his story.

Please, Mr. Suzuki. Do a good job with your game, but don’t get to carried away with it or let it affect your health. Enjoy the fresh air of Japan’s mountains every once in a while. I hear Yokosuka is a very nice town.

Most importantly, stay safe while developing. Shenmue III is scheduled for a release in 2017 on the PC.