The revelation that Shenmue III was becoming an Epic Games Store exclusive for one year on PC has been met with a backlash from fans, with many people expecting to receive a key for the Steam version of the game at launch. Shenmue III was announced back in 2015, which was long before the Epic Games Store existed, so no one considered the idea of there being more digital storefronts in the future when they first backed the game.

The reaction to the Epic Games Store deal has resulted in a new post on the Shenmue III Kickstarter page, which revealed that refunds will be offered in the future for the PC version of the game.

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According to the Kickstarter post, an agreement had been reached between Deep Silver, Epic, and Ys Net concerning the PC version of the game. The backers of Shenmue III now have several options to choose from, consisting of a physical disc for the PC version of the game and Epic Games Store key, the key on its own for those who want the digital version of the game, or a choice between the digital and physical versions of the PlayStation 4 version of the game. Backers can also choose a Steam key, with the understanding that it won't be available for at least a year after the game is released.

via: playstation.com

The backers can also choose to select none of these options and can opt for a refund instead, which will be detailed in a future update on the Kickstarter page.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the Kickstarter post is the revelation that the physical PC version of the game only contains the installer for the Epic Games Store, which is something that requires the Internet to work in the first place, so there is no need to put it on the disc. It's easy to get the impression that the physical release is just there to fulfill a Kickstarter obligation.

Shenmue III is due to be released for PC and PlayStation 4 on August 19, 2019. The PC version of the game will be an Epic Games Store exclusive for one year, after which it is expected to launch on Steam.

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