Yakuza directors look back on Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 in new Interview

SEGA America got three different Yakuza directors from three different Yakuza games that are included in the Yakuza Remastered Collection. They got Daisuke Sato (Yakuza 3 director), Jun Orihara (Yakuza 4 director) and Kazuki Hosokawa (Yakuza 5 director) to sit down and look back on the series’ PlayStation 3 outings.

I really love these director, behind the scene looks into the games and its something that RGG Studios does a lot in Japan leading up to game releases. Glad we are getting the same treatment for this collection in the West. They did hint in the end that they will be doing a separate video on the stories for these games.

The Yakuza Remastered Collection announced – digital and physical release details

Yakuza 3 remastered for PlayStation 4 is available to download digitally and play… today! SEGA has announced that The Yakuza Remastered Collection will be hitting PS4 digitally today for $59.99, with the third game available now, Yakuza 4 unlocking October 29, 2019 and Yakuza 5 unlocking February 11, 2020.

For those who prefer physical, all three games will be released in a handsome two disc case with the third and fourth games sharing a disc and the fifth game on a disc of its own. What’s really cool, and proof SEGA of America totally gets their fans, the package will also contain a Yakuza 5 PS3 case (no PS3 disc will be included). The reason for this is Yakuza 5 released digitally in 2015, leaving a hole in fan’s physical collections. Now, at least, a PS3 case can fill that gap while a PS4 remastered disc can be in hand.

Pre-Order the physical The Yakuza Remastered Collection

After the break, read the full press release!

The Yakuza Remastered Collection spotted on Play Station store

It looks like SEGA has another reveal ready for Gamescom 2019. Various Twitter users have spotted The Yakuza Remastered Collection on PSN, leading fans to believe that SEGA will be announcing Yakuza 3, 4 and 5 remasters for the west. The three PS3 titles were brought to the PS4 in Japan via individual releases, and it looks like the west will be getting all three assembled into one. More info as we hear it!

Yakuza 4 trailer for PS4 releases showing off Masayoshi Tanimura’s changed model in action

We posted the other day that Yakuza 4 would release January 17, 2019 in Japan and that the character Masayoshi Tanimura, one of the four playable characters in Yakuza 4 would have a model and voice changed due to the original actor Hiroki Narimiya retiring from acting (which not might all be his choice). This new trailer shows the new voice and model in action, now being played by Toshiki Masuda.

Not only that, SEGA has also released a ton of screenshots including the box art for the game.

Yakuza 4 launches on PS4 January 17, 2019 in Japan, Masayoshi Tanimura being recast


Famitsu has confirmed that the PlayStation 4 port of Yakuza 4 will be launching in Japan on January 17, 2019. Yakuza 5 is set to come out during 2019 as well.

The magazine also ran a story talking about how Masyoshi Tanimura, a main character in the game, will be recast. According to the magazine, SEGA needed to revise and re-record some lines for the character and since the orginal voice actor Hiroki Narimiya has retired from voice acting SEGA decided to recast the role as Toshiki Masuda. This means that SEGA will be changing the model and voice. Quite a bit of work, I guess Japanese men take their retirements very seriously.

[Via: Siliconera]

Nagoshi says Yakuza 3, 4 and 5 remasters are for new overseas fans, confirms no cut content


In a recent streaming broadcast discussing the upcoming Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 remasters for PlayStation 4, SEGA’s chief creative officer Toshihiro Nagoshi revealed new information about the genesis of the remasters. According to Nagoshi, the remasters are intended for new overseas fans. Following the release of Yakuza 0, the franchise has seen a renaissance outside Japan with latest title Yakuza 6: The Song of Life being the biggest US launch in the series’ history. So it only made sense to fill the gap between Yakuza Kiwami 2 and Yakuza 6.

Also revealed in the video, Nagoshi states that there will not be cut content in the remasters, which is great news for those who played the PS3 originals outside Japan. Check out the full video here, and in the comments below share your thoughts on the news!

[Source: Resetera]

SEGA News Bits: Yakuza 3, 4 and 5 Coming to PlayStation 4 Reaction

It seems that SEGA have heard fans as they announce that Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 are heading to PlayStation 4 consoles. As of this recording, the three games have only been announced for Japanese release but I’m pretty sure they will end up coming to the West. On this episode of the SEGA News Bits we discuss our thoughts on these games getting a second chance, talk about the details regarding the releases and discuss other last generation releases that deserve ports. What are your thoughts? Will be pick them up if they come West? Let us know in the comments below.

If you want to support this type of content, you can check out our Patreon!

If you enjoy our SEGA News Bits segments and want to support us: Give us a sub and give this video a thumbs up so it shows up on more like-minded fans YouTube recommendations. You know, how that YouTube algorithm is.

Yakuza 3, 4 & 5 remasters coming to PS4

According to the latest issue of Dengeki PlayStation, SEGA plans to release remastered versions of previous Yakuza installments (Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5) for the Playstation 4 with improved resolution and frame rates. No further news on if SEGA is planning to localize the remastered versions to the West. All three titles are scheduled for release in 2018 and 2019 starting with Yakuza 3 on August 9th for 3,990 yen including a download code & soundtrack.

Here is the Japanese release schedule for the other titles.

  • Yakuza 4 – Fall 2018
  • Yakuza 5 – Spring 2019

I am happy to see that SEGA is pushing forward with the demand of remastering more Yakuza games and a great opportunity for fans to play Yakuza 3 in it’s original format if it gets localized. How do you guys feel about this news? Feel free to post your thoughts on the comment section below.

[Source: Gematsu]

SEGA considering bringing Yakuza 3, 4 and 5 to PlayStation 4 if there is enough demand

While I’m glad that the Yakuza series has finally gotten the attention it deserves, its just a bit sad that it happen over a decade after its initial debut on PlayStation 2. Its not surprising that every new fan that has jumped on the series since Yakuza 0 has wanted ports of all the past games for their current generation console of choice, the PlayStation 4. We already got Yakuza Kiwami (remake of the first game) and Yakuza Kiwami 2 is coming in a few months. But what about Yakuza 3, 4 and 5?

Yakuza series producer Daisuke Sato talked to PlayStation Access and stated that Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 are all available on PlayStation 3. As for PlayStation 4 “If we get a lot of requests to make them, we may consider it.” 

What do you guys think? Do you guys want to see ports of Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 on PlayStation 4? Maybe we’ll finally have a physical version of Yakuza 5 in the west!

[Via: Nichegamer]

Yakuza 4 and 5 join PlayStation Now streaming platform

PSNow-755x425

Sony has announced February’s big PlayStation Now update bringing both Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 to its streaming platform. If you don’t know, PlayStation Now is a streaming service that lets you play PlayStation games on various devices including mobile, PlayStation 4 and PC. These games join a library of over 600 playable games on the service. Personally not into it due to having great internet speeds. The service requires a constant internet connection of at least 5mb up and down. Of course you will also have to have good ping. But if you have a good internet set-up, you can get the first month for $9.99 and $19.99 after that (or a one year subscription for $99).

Lots of fans took to twitter to ask SEGA why Yakuza 3 wasn’t included since a lot of new fans have jumped on the Yakuza train after the release of Yakuza 0. According to localization producer Sam Mullen, Yakuza 3 didn’t release on PlayStation Now because there isn’t a digital version of the game available. Hopefully SEGA fixes this as the game has increased in price due to the franchises jump in popularity last year.

[Source: PlayStation Blog]

SEGA says ‘Yakuza’ and ‘Persona’ added to their SEGA PC Ports list

SEGAPCPorts
SEGA had a pretty good start this year releasing the widely acclaimed titlesYakuza 0 which saw a brand new audience in the west and Persona 5, which happens to be the best selling entry in the franchise. One thing both these titles share is that they are Sony exclusive titles, so if you don’t own a Sony PlayStation 3 or 4, you won’t be able to experience the goodness that is Yakuza 0 or Persona 5. Seeing that SEGA Europe has been very kind to their SEGA PC ports list in the last few months, by having Platinum Games port over both Bayonetta and Vanquish to PC platforms. The guys over at PC gamer asked SEGA Europe’s senior vice president of commercial publishing, John Clark, what they are looking into porting over to the good old steam store:

“If I asked you to write me a list of ten games you want Sega to bring out on PC, it probably isn’t any different from the list [we have], I could ask anyone at Sega: write me a list. And what motivates it? I think there’s a certain catalogue that people just have an affinity with. If you send [your] list over I’ll tell you which ones we can tick, which ones are on our list, which ones are possibilities, which ones are not possibilities, which ones we’ve talked about, which ones we’re talking about, which ones we’re working on, you know, they’ll be on that list.”  

Since Mr. Clark didn’t go into specifics, PC Gamer pressed him and asked if a franchise like Yakuza would fit their type of list.

Rare Yakuza titles get reprinted – including PlayStation 2 titles

YakuzareprintedDid you want to pick up the first two Yakuza titles on the PlayStation 2, brand new and at a decent price? You are in luck as rare Yakuza titles get reprinted thanks to Amazon seller JADD ENTERTAINMENT. Yakuza 2, before the reprinted offer, was over a hundred bucks used, so having it for $50 dollars brand new is a great deal. I first assumed these were actually ‘newly found stock’, but according to producer at Atlus USA, Sam Mullen, these are ‘reorders’. I would totally pick up Yakuza and Yakuza 2 on the PlayStation 2, those are the rarest titles.

There is also a ebay seller, by the name of vgp_videogameplus that is selling these same titles with free shipping option. If you want to save as much as possible.

Rare Yakuza titles get reprinted, but do you think its worth the price? Thankfully, if you aren’t happy with your copy, Amazon has a good refund policy even on 3rd party sellers. Supplies are limited, so be warned that they can disappear at anytime. What Yakuza title are you picking up? Let us know in the comments below.

The SEGA Five: PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360 Games That Need PC Ports

SEGAPCPortsFiveThe seventh console generation was SEGA’s big test as a 3rd party publisher, while they were still a 3rd party during most of the sixth generation, the seventh was the first time they didn’t have home console hardware to sell from the very start. Who knows how game history will see the once big console manufacture turned 3rd party during this time and while not all the games they released that generation were considered great, they did release quite a bit of overlooked gems that fans think deserve second chances. Like always this is a personal opinion list of games, if one of your favorite SEGA published games on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 didn’t make the list, let us know in the comments below.

Note: We didn’t include the Nintendo Wii games that deserve PC ports because the Wii was a really unique console, but we might have a list dedicated just for the Nintendo Wii in the near future. Also titles that already had PC releases but got delisted aren’t included (aka OutRun 2). 

SEGA is considering remaking more Yakuza titles on PS4

PS4YakuzaGamesSeems that Yakuza: Kiwami was a success for SEGA, if you didn’t know Yakuza: Kiwami is a remake of the first entry of the franchise. Sadly the title has only been released in Japan and Asia, but it did so well in that region for SEGA that there might be more remakes hitting the PlayStation 4.

Producer and SEGAbits tan icon Toshihiro Nagoshi during a livestream mentioned how popular Yakuza Kiwami was, so much so that sold half a million units in Japan and Asia that its making SEGA consider various ways to remake Yakuza 2, 3, 4, and even 5 for the PlayStation 4. Yakuza 2 is seriously the crown jewel, story wise, in the franchise and I hope they do remake it (and release it west). I also hope if they do remake it, they don’t destroy the overall serious tone the game had.

In the stream Toshihiro Nagoshi stated that even though Yakuza 6 will have playable characters from previous titles in the series the game is all about Kazuma Kiryu, who is the only real playable hero. No word if SEGA plans on releasing these remakes outside of Japan or Asia. But if Yakuza 0 does well in January 24, who knows.

[Via: DualShockers]

Yakuza 4 coming to Playstation Plus next month

yakuza4header

So the news that Yakuza 5 will be getting a western release was very exciting, but some of you might not have actually played a Yakuza game before. So it’s a good thing that next month all Playstation Plus subscribers will be able to download Yakuza 4 for the Playstation 3. You won’t need to have played any of the previous Yakuza games to start with it either, as every Yakuza game includes hefty recaps of the games before it.

NeoGAF member YianGaruga spotted that the game will be included in next month’s Playstation Plus games on the German Playstation Blog. (Update: Now confirmed for the US as well) The other games that’ll be available are Apotheon and Transistor for Playstation 4, Thief for the Playstation 3, Kick and Fennick for the Playstation Vita, and Rogue Legacy for all of the previously mentioned platforms. So overall a pretty good selection of games, though Yakuza 4 is the only one of them that’s about being a bad-ass in Japan.