For some reason, Sega doesn't think games about ancient Japan would sell in America.
Western releases of Yakuza Ishin and Kenzan could finally be happening thanks to the overwhelming success of Ghost of Tsushima.
"Sato: Even long before Ghost of Tsushima, I did want to release “samurai” games like Kenzan and Ishin in the West. Unfortunately, after Yakuza 0, we were very busy with remastering the numbering Yakuza titles for the PS4, so we missed the opportunity to work on some of these other games."
The remasters strike again. Easy cash is like a brick wall to new releases.
I don't know that said logic is applicable here... Kenzan and Ishin would not be "new releases" in a meaningful way imo. They released in 2008 and 2014 respectively. Yeah, they never released in the west, but they would effectively be remasters themselves. Additionally, while remastering the numbered games instead of remastering ishin and kenzan, they put out yakuza 6, fist of the north star, judgement, and yakuza like a dragon (all new).
I don't think any of the mentioned games have such mainstream appeal like GoT. GoT worked, because it was made by a western developer.
Perhaps not, but GoT as a new IP killed it - and bringing that era of Japan to the west in an already successful franchise should work now. Yakuza has a drastically larger following compared to 8 years ago when these games originally released.
There's gonna be a lot of fans who wanna get into this spin on the combat and minigames.
Yakuza Ishin and Kenzan are two spin-offs in the Yakuza franchise that haven't been localized yet. Sega Europe has now confirmed that they don't have any plans to bring them to West.
no plans for these two games, yakuza destroyed with turn based combat. WTF? too much success for Yakuza?
"I don’t feel confident enough to predict Ishin or Yakuza 0, but I do think Yakuza 6 will go westward. For Japanese console games, PS4 is where the money is to be made. Nippon Ichi made Disgaea 5 a PS4 exclusive with the worldwide market in mind, and I suspect Sega is doing something similar with Yakuza 6. That’d be magical if localization happened within a month or three of the JP release, but I know that might be asking a bit much." -PSLS
People need to buy Yakuza 5 when it releases here for ps3 as it will give SEGA incentive to localize other games faster.
I'm so happy Yakuza 6 is ps4 only as it will fully utilize power of PS4, imagine all the mini games that are possible.
Their mini-games always surprise me. I remember back in Yakuza 3 I had to play one karaoke game because it was part of the main story. I was shocked over how well it was done. Amazing stuff.
I am looking forward to 5 this fall because my favorite character, Akiyama returns. That guy defines cool. Not just in he is a great character but he is cool in the old use of the word. He is laid back, calm and collected, and people have trouble reading him. He reads situations. Very well written.
Haha yes! I count myself as an Akiyama lover as well. I love his laid back character, and I love even more that he's voiced by Yamadera Kouichi, the same guy who voiced Hibiki Ryouga in Ranma 1/2 back in the 90s.
I've already purchased a physical japanese copy (as well as Kenzan, Ishin and the HD Collection), sucks we only get a digital copy in the west :/
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I always play it with feeling that game would be the last Yakuza game ever released in English.
:(
I'll think they localize the remake of the first game first to see if people are win to jump into the series then they may localize or not Yakuza 6 depending on the western sales of Yakuza Kimawi
five actually
>Yakuza Online
>Yakuza black panther 1 and 2
>Yakuza Kenzen and Ishin
Black Panther 1 and Kenzan are being translated but i havent heard anything from the fanpatches since last september i guess.
Do the writers from thegamer.com know..anything at all?
You might want to work on them investigative journalism skills, bub!
Don't forget about Kenzan.