The Last of Us concept artist John Sweeney creates limited edition Shenmue 3 print

Royalties of the print go towards the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter

by James Vincent

Jul 8, 2015, 11:33 AM UTC

Shenmue 3 was was announced at this year’s E3, causing minor meltdowns among those who’d been waiting 15 years for the second sequel to the Dreamcast classic. And it’s not just players who are hyped up about the game — John Sweeney, the concept artist for Sony games The Last of Us and Uncharted 4, is reportedly a big Shenmue fan, and has created a limited edition print to support the game. The artwork, licensed by SEGA and hand-numbered by Sweeney, depicts the moment just after Ryo’s father Iwao is killed.

"In the game the scene stops with Ryo cradling Iwao and screaming 'No!'" said Sweeney in a press statement. "I wanted to imagine a shot where Ryo is standing just outside the dojo where is father was just killed. It is cold and very early in the morning. Snow is falling. The morning light is still weak and only some of the wood interior is catching light from the outside. Ryo's pose already hints at him seeking revenge."

It seems like a perfect fit for Sweeney: both Shenmue and The Last of Us stood out from the crowd as action games that did their best to create quiet moments of reflection in obsessively detailed worlds. The print is available to buy from digital and video game art specialists Cook & Becker, with a hundred 80 x 40 cm prints available alongside eight, larger 120 x 62 cm pieces. Prices start at $99 and the artwork is printed on glossy, archival photo paper, with Sweeney dedicating his royalties from sales towards the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter. The campaign has already more than doubled its original $2 million target, but there's always stretch goals, right? You can also watch a video of Sweeney creating the artwork below: