Rebranding "Yakuza" in the west.

[Pao]

Some insiders on GAF has been saying RGG: Ishin will get localized. Now that would be amazing if it ever happens, but what about the name? Ishin has nothing to do with Yakuza (Like Kenzan). So naming it "Yakuza" would be greatly misleading.

I always thought the name "Yakuza" wasn't a good one since the series started, it just wasn't an attention grabber. Not only that, but the series is in dire need of a fresh start considering the terrible sales and general lack of interest.

A new entry on a new generation should be the best time to re-brand the series, especially considering Ishin isn't related to previous games, plot wise.

So what names do you guys suggest? There is the obvious translation of Ryu Ga Gotoku "Like a Dragon". It sounds unique and pretty badass to boot.

[Nameless 24]

You're right, but what else could you call a game that is otherwise a Gangster Driven game?

Controversial Business isn't exactly a great alternative, ha ha!

I honestly wouldn't know what they'd call Ishin, perhaps just "Resurrection: Before Yakuza" or something.

[Trippled]

I have been thinking about this alot too strangely.

Yakuza is not a bad name. It is unique in it's field of videogames and you know instantly what the game entails.

Like a Dragon could be...anything. Is it a fantasy game or...? And post 3, Kiryu (the one who is referenced through the title) is only a little part of the games.

Yakuza is the best marketing wise, I think. To the Mainstream especially, it just makes the most sense. Like "Mafia".

Ishin and Kenzan are a difficult case. In those cases, a renaming woudn't be bad, however I don't think that would change much in terms of it being more successfull.

Like Dead Souls, there could be just a subtitle for Yakuza like:
Ancient Alternaty
The Restoration Epoch

However adding a "before Yakuza" subtitle would be good as well

[Pao]

"Resurrection: Before Yakuza"

The thing is, just mentioning "Yakuza"  will instantly turn off people who dislike Gang-themed games/stories, when the game is actually about Samurai and nothing to do with Yakuza, at all.

The Ryu Ga Gotoku series doesn't limit itself to the Yakuza theme, they diverged before with Kenzan and Ishin, and they might still diverge in the future.  So the name "Yakuza" is very limiting.

[Nameless 24]

The thing is, just mentioning "Yakuza"  will instantly turn off people who dislike Gang-themed games/stories, when the game is actually about Samurai and nothing to do with Yakuza, at all.

The Ryu Ga Gotoku series doesn't limit itself to the Yakuza theme, they diverged before with Kenzan and Ishin, and they might still diverge in the future.  So the name "Yakuza" is very limiting.

Perhaps, but what else can you really call it when the game is practically around the Yakuza?

Perhaps "Before Yakuza" is a turn off, but you can't exactly call it anything that's unrelated to the main series, unless those fans not in the know forget that this exists.

Perhaps calling it Bushido Ishin would be better? That'd alienate people even more, imho. Yakuza is at least a known word to the Mainstream (maybe not as well known as Mafia, but looking up the word will instantly give people an idea on what the game will be about).

I agree Yakuza isn't the best name, but what else is there?

[Pao]

^ No idea, hence why I opened this thread to hear suggestions.

I feel the series is more about manliness and badassery than Gangs, hence the name "Like a Dragon".  So a name that embodies these concepts should be good.  I'm drawing a blank, though.

[Aki-at]

Yeah the series is definitely a lot more than just about the yakuza and even though Kiryu has had to share the screentime, the series is about him and his almost legendary persona as the Dragon of Dojima.

I feel "Like a Dragon" would work well as a series relaunch, at this point the only people who buy Yakuza are pretty much those who are on message boards, always asking for localisation of the Yakuza series and I doubt renaming the series to Like a Dragon will confuse much, if any, of the Western fans.

Personally the three issues I have with the "Yakuza" name is the game's centre themselves around either on Kiryu or his legacy and not the yakuza themselves. The original game kept referring to him as a dragon because of his inhumane strength, the second had two "dragons" face off against each, the fourth game was who would be Kiryu's successor as Kamurocho's dragon and from that point he is always referred to as the legendary dragon (Even in Of the End) and the previous two games have had as

Secondly I feel it was a dumb attempt by SEGA America/Europe to try and make this the Japanese GTA, personally I feel they should have targeted the RPG crowd rather than anyone else and I definitely feel people would be more open to trying it if the series was called "Like a Dragon"

Finally Yakuza sounds far too serious for what the series is. We've got a panty thief running around, Kiryu being chased by a transvestite, Doc Brown creating virtual reality simulators etc its a whacky series and Yakuza just makes it sounds too serious.

[Trippled]

Most of the wacky stuff is in the side stories.

Personally though I think, most of the story is really just crime related, not necessairly Yakuza.

[Aki-at]

Most of the wacky stuff is in the side stories.

Personally though I think, most of the story is really just crime related, not necessairly Yakuza.

Yeah but in the main game we have a giant golden castle, tigers, Majima in his complete insanity, rocket dodging etc so its fair to say its just an oddball of a series in the end.

And yeah, its crime related, corrupt politicians, cops, yakuza, arms organisations etc its a broad scope of villains.