A sign spotted at the All Elite Wrestling All Out pay-per-view event criticized Shenmue 3. Professional wrestling fans have been bringing signs to events for decades now, though a recent trend has seen the signs focus specifically on video games instead of the in-ring performers. These signs can be spotted at all kinds of big wrestling events, but they seem to primarily show up in the crowd at All Elite Wrestling shows.
The latest example of this was at AEW's All Out pay-per-view, which took place on September 4 in Chicago, Illinois. At various points throughout the event, a sign could clearly be seen that said Shenmue 3 was a waste of time and money. Those online took notice of the sign, with some taking to social media to either voice their approval of it or disagree with its sentiment.
Shenmue 3 was first announced at Sony's E3 2015 press conference in a shock announcement that confirmed the long-awaited game was finally in development. Shenmue 3 was partially funded through Kickstarter, setting records and ending its campaign with $6 million raised for the game's development. Four years later, Shenmue 3 released for PC and PlayStation 4, but it was met with a decidedly mixed reception.
Shenmue 3 reviews criticized various aspects of the game, with many accusing it out of being outdated, failing to evolve much beyond what was established in the first two Shenmue games. Shenmue 3 was also knocked for being a timed Epic Games Store exclusive, leading some Kickstarter backers to demand refunds since they believed they would be able to play the game on Steam. So while Shenmue 3 certainly has its fans, it's safe to say there are also those that agree with AEW fan's sign.
The sign criticizing Shenmue 3 wasn't the only video game-related sign spotted at AEW All Out. Another sign, not all that far from the Shenmue 3 sign, featured the fairy Navi from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, along with her iconic "Listen!" catchphrase.
Most of the time, the video game signs spotted at AEW and other wrestling events tend to argue about Japanese role-playing games. For example, some signs have argued about which Final Fantasy game is the best and which one is the worst, while others have made bold claims about games like Persona 5. If AEW All Out was any indication, this trend isn't stopping any time soon.
Shenmue 3 is out now for PC and PS4.