Last year’s Wanted Dead had an interesting start, but it faced issues from the get-go. Originally meant to be a third-person shooter like Spec Ops: The Line, the game took a different direction under Sergei Kolobashkin’s influence.
A user on reddit recently shared an intensive story regarding the development troubles and everything that went down behind the scenes. A moderator on the sub also claimed that OP had shown them verifiable proof of their sources and insider knowledge, leading everyone to believe their credibility.
The Story Behind Wanted Dead’s Failure
According to the now deleted Reddit post, Sergei wanted to set the game in Hong Kong, but this decision led to complications, especially with Tencent’s involvement, as they weren’t thrilled about the location.
The development was passed to Soleil, who worked on a game called Ninja Zero, which shared similar mechanics.
The concept for Wanted Dead evolved into a hardcore, satirical take on hero-worship action games, a throwback to the PS2 era but with modern technology.
But things didn’t go as planned. The creative process faced roadblocks, with significant changes and cut content that altered the game’s story and mechanics. Stefanie Joosten’s involvement added a character named Gunsmith, intended as a comedic relief, but this character’s role was lost in translation and wasn’t fully realized.
On top of this, the combat system which was initially meant to be overseen by Itagaki Tomonobu, suffered due to his lack of involvement. With issues piling up, including management troubles and Tencent pulling key people off the project, the game started to fall apart. The original vision was compromised, and the final product was far from what was initially imagined, receiving negative reviews.
The user also shared about Shenmue 4’s fate, and how it was tied to the struggles of 110i, the company behind Wanted Dead.
Why Shenmue 4 Isn’t Happening
As the Russia/Ukraine war began, 110i faced financial difficulties, particularly due to their Russian ties.
A major deal with Innovaud that was supposed to fund Shenmue Zero, a prequel, fell through. Additionally, the company had a plan to announce a collaboration with Yu Suzuki, but this too was scrapped due to the war and the company’s declining fortunes.
The same issues that plagued the development of Wanted Dead, such as management missteps and geopolitical complications, also affected Shenmue 4’s chances.
Development of the game continued, but it was filled with cut content and deviations from the original vision. The game was rushed, with a release date pushed forward due to pressure from shareholders.
However, its release was ultimately delayed to avoid clashing with God of War Ragnarok. But by this time, the damage was done. The game was not well-received, and the company’s reputation took a pretty big hit.
Mismanagement during the Tokyo Game Show further hurt their reputation, as an unnamed studio allegedly tried to sabotage their presence. The final blow came when a PR firm botched its marketing efforts, leaving 110i’s credibility in the dirt.
These failures not only doomed Wanted Dead but also cast a long shadow over the possibility of Shenmue 4 ever seeing the light of day.
How do you feel about these new developmental revelations regarding Wanted Dead? Let us know in the comments below.
