Shenmue studio threatens legal action over an apparently faked Shenmue 4 trailer, which it says 'has absolutely no connection to Ys Net'

Our rundown of what to expect from this year's edition of The Game Awards includes a brief note about a supposed leak of a trailer for Shenmue 4, shared by a YouTube account with eight (now 12) subscribers. Is it really a leak, or just an elaborate fake? It's looking like the latter, as Ys Net has posted a message on X saying the video "has absolutely no connection" to the studio.

The "work in progress" video purports to be a recording of a display screen, rather than a direct capture, so the quality isn't great and, more importantly, it's trickier to suss out whether it's AI generated. But it has long-suffering Shenmue fans hopeful: It's been six years since Shenmue 3 dropped (which happened a full 18 years after Shenmue 2), and while Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki has previously expressed a desire to make a new game in the series, there's been no movement toward that actually happening.

It sure sounds like that remains the case. "Ys Net Inc has confirmed that a video has been posted on social media which uses our company logo without permission, falsely giving the impression that it is an official Shenmue 4 related video produced by us," the studio wrote on X. "This video has absolutely no connection to Ys Net. Furthermore, at this time, Ys Net has not released any trailers, footage, or other promotional materials related to Shenmue 4.

"We recognize that the unauthorized use of our logo, and any act that misleads viewers into believing such content is official, constitutes a serious issue that may amount to trademark infringement and unfair competition. We are currently working with relevant parties and preparing appropriate measures, including potential legal action. We sincerely apologize to our fans and all related parties for any confusion this may have caused. We will continue to ensure the proper and accurate dissemination of information, and we ask for your understanding and cooperation."

Oddly enough, while Ys Net is threatening legal action, at the time that I write this the video remains on YouTube.

It behooves me to point out that nowhere in this message is there an explicit denial that Shenmue 4 is in the works, or that a trailer is going to turn up at The Game Awards: It's simply a denial that the video is official. It is possible that there's something real behind it and "unofficial" only refers to how it was released, though it feels like a slim one.

For the record, I think it's fake, pure and simple, but the cynical and paranoid part of my brain never takes these things for granted. If you too are resolutely holding onto Shenmue 4 hope (or a deeply rooted mistrust of the world around you, as the case may be) the good news is that undeniable clarity will arrive soon. The Game Awards 2025, in which the Shenmue 4 trailer either will or won't be shown (and it won't be, unless it is), is now just three days away: It happens on December 11, with a pre-show kickoff at 4:30 pm PT/7:30 pm ET.