A Kickstarter survey will be sent out later this month for all those looking for refunds for their purchase of Shenmue 3. The surveys will be valid for two weeks, and could take anywhere from four weeks to three months to process.
Many players were unhappy when Shenmue 3 was announced as an Epic Games Store exclusive at E3 back in June, against the expectations of those who had pledged to its Kickstarter. The dissent was so vocal that not only was a claim of “no refunds” rolled back, but in July, Epic decided to foot the bill on all refunds itself.
A Kickstarter update detailing how one can go about getting their money back has now been posted, revealing a short window of availability and potentially a very long wait before the cash will be back in your account. The survey period is “planned to be up to two weeks long”, and it could take anywhere from “20 business days to three months from the time the refund request is made until the refund transaction is completed.” What’s more, according to the update, refund requests will only be honored through this questionnaire, and only for the allotted two weeks.
The survey will also cover changing the region of the PS4 version, and other Kickstarter rewards-related alterations, if you need them. These will also close after the two-week period, though you will still be able to change your address right up to launch.
Epic exclusivity continues to be a controversial topic among the wider PC gaming community, and this announcement probably won’t do anyone involved any favours. A turnaround on refunds of up to three months certainly sounds excessive – some commenters on Reddit have even theorised that it’s a calculated tactic on the part of developers Ys Net to dissuade people from going through with it.
Regardless, if you would like to avail, keep an eye on your inbox around mid-September for more information. Shenmue 3 will release November 19.