In a new RGG Studio TV video, executive producer at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Masayoshi Yokoyama has said that Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties might mark the end of the Kiwami series of games. However, he did note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be no more remakes for the older games like Yakuza 4 and 5. Rather, potential remakes going forward won’t be named Kiwami.
“Some of the games we’re working on have already been announced, but including the ones we’ll be making going forward, I think Yakuza Kiwami 3 will be the last one, and the Kiwami line will come to an end,” said Yokoyama (as caught by Reddit user Dastanovich). “I don’t think it’ll continue as the Kiwami series anymore. I think a different series will begin.”
He went on to hint at a new approach to remaking some of the older games in the Yakuza series that would potentially bring them more in line with the current storyline of the franchise.
Spoilers for Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, and Yakuza 6: A Song of Life below.
“And not something like Like a Dragon 9, but rather a new series on a different line, with a different meaning,” he said. “That might be something you’ll understand once you play Yakuza Kiwami 3. So with that in mind, I’m thinking about the future—about long-term planning, or where things are headed.”
In mentioning Yakuza Kiwami 3, Yokoyama is referring to the renewed presence of the Daidoji faction that shows up in the remake’s story. The faction only made its debut in Yakuza 6: A Song of Life, playing an important role in tying up its story and allowing Kiryu to essentially fake his death so that Haruka, her child and boyfriend, and the rest of the orphans at Morning Glory can go on to live their lives without being targeted for retribution.
The latest entry—Yakuza Kiwami 3—saw the involvement of the Daidoji faction with some changes made to the original story of Yakuza 3. This indicates that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio might be looking to reimagine the storylines of the remaining Yakuza games before the story of Yakuza 6 kicks in to have the faction play a bigger role. The Daidoji also played a major role during the events of the most recent mainline entry in the series—Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is slated for release today across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2. The title offers a retelling of Yakuza 3’s story, as well as a brand new glimpse into the background of Yoshitaka Mine through Dark Ties. Along with modernized visuals and gameplay, it also brings in new side activities and mini-games, as well as a variety of new karaoke songs for both Kiryu and Mine.
For more details about Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, check out our review, where we gave it a score of 8 out of 10 thanks to the modern combat systems and more fresh take on the city of Ryukyu, Okinawa.
