▁let ▁players ▁travel ▁to ▁other ▁Sh en m ue ▁locations ▁such ▁as ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁in ▁content ▁updates . ▁ ▁Plot ▁The ▁main ▁character ▁is ▁a ▁follow er ▁of ▁R yo ▁H azu ki ▁and ▁is ▁gu ided ▁by ▁him ▁to ▁explore , ▁attempt ▁qu ests , ▁and ▁grow ▁strong ▁through ▁battle . ▁Char acters ▁from ▁other ▁Sh en m ue ▁games ▁make ▁appearances , ▁and ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁Sh en m ue ▁plot ▁is ▁ret old . ▁ ▁Development ▁Sh en m ue ▁City ▁was ▁conce ived ▁when ▁Yu ▁Su zu ki ▁noted ▁the ▁popular ity ▁of ▁M af ia ▁Wars , ▁a ▁social ▁game ▁designed ▁for ▁mobile ▁ph ones . ▁Su zu ki ▁formed ▁a ▁plan ▁that ▁if ▁the ▁game ▁was ▁a ▁success , ▁its ▁popular ity ▁could ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁game ▁to ▁conclude ▁the ▁Sh en m ue ▁series . ▁Su zu ki ▁stated ▁in ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁Fam its u ▁that ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁explore ▁the ▁series ▁without ▁very ▁expensive ▁graphics ▁or ▁sound ▁elements ▁like ▁the ▁original ▁game . ▁The ▁games ▁beta ▁began ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁on ▁the ▁Y ahoo ! ▁Japan ▁and ▁Japanese ▁phone ▁car rier ▁De NA ' s ▁Y ahoo ! ▁M ob age ▁network . ▁On ▁October ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Sh en m ue ▁City ▁was ▁also ▁announced ▁for ▁the ▁PC ▁as ▁a ▁browser - based ▁game ▁with ▁a ▁winter ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁release ▁date , ▁but