To the surprise of almost no one, Sega will be releasing HD ports for Shenmue 1 and 2 later this year. They will arrive as a single package on PS4, Xbox One and PC. Check out the PS4 box art for the game below.
Hearing fan requests and taking special care to port the games in accordance to fan expectations, Shenmue 1 and 2 HD will feature modern controls as an option. Classic controls will still be present in case you want the authentic Shenmue experience. English and Japanese voice tracks will also be available, so it remains to be seen if the infamous sailor inquiry lines will sound better in Japanese.
Such a move was expected since Shenmue 3 is in development for PS4 and PC (currently). It’s a good way to familiarize new fans with the series and let them know what to expect. That being said, does an Xbox One version of the ports mean that Shenmue 3 could come to the platform in the future? Time will tell but it’s certainly not impossible.