STACK #256 February 2026

GAMING FEATURE

The latest classicYakuza game remake arrives this month in Yakuza Kiwami 3 , and it comes with a bonus story in the all new Dark Ties . Producer/director Ryosuke Horii and executive producer MasayoshiYokoyama tell us more… Words Bec Summer visit jbhifi.com.au/stack TOKYO VICE FORMAT: GENRE: Action Adventure MULTIPLAYER: Yes

There are choices I make that old me wouldn’t have agreed with. I give a direction and I’m almost rejecting my past self. It’s like we’re comparing notes 16 years later.

What are your main aims with this remake of Yakuza 3 ? RH: It’s a project we’re deeply invested in. We naturally wrestled with how much to change, but we felt that simply recreating something similar would be disrespectful to the original. So, we challenged ourselves to aim for something even more interesting. We want it to be a title that both the original Yakuza 3 and Yakuza Kiwami 3 fans could love. It’s a game the whole team poured their hearts into making. If you play it alongside Dark Ties , we think you’ll really feel that passion we put into it. MY: Of course, we’re planning to improve the graphics, add new scenes, and tweak the cast. We’re filling the game with all kinds of surprises. How has it felt revisiting and remaking such a popular episode in theYakuza canon? RH: I have especially fond memories of Yakuza 3 . It added so many new layers and dimensions to Kiryu. He’s more than just some thug. And in this game, we see that and so much more. It makes me so happy that we had the chance to remake it. Developing the game was just so much fun. MY: Since we need to bear the legacy of a game we made 16 years back, remakes are constantly daunting. In gaming, technology isn’t the only thing that evolves over time. From player feedback to our growth as developers, I felt that a lot needed to come together to make this a true, authentic remake.

Can you please tell us more about the Dark Ties story? MY: If I had to say, this instalment

focuses more on the characters than the city, especially Dark Ties . It’s a title you can enjoy through its character-focused approach, and it has quite shocking content. How has the continued success of theYakuza series outside of Japan felt to you? RH: Well, Western and Japanese audiences have slightly different tastes in what they like, especially as it

Dark Ties will see us playing a prequel tale as Yoshitaka Mine from Yakuza 3 . He’s gone from creating a successful startup company to losing it all and on to diving into the dark world of the yakuza, seeking connection. His is a dramatic journey, which will deliver boxing-based combat and various involving side quests in Kamarucho. ENTREPRENEURIAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK

relates to comedy. I think our content has quite a few funny parts, and the way people latch onto those things is different. I feel like the reaction is actually stronger from people around the world than it is from Japan. It’s truly amazing that so many

people around the world found something unique about our titles. Even though it was originally created for Japanese audiences in Japan, the fact that so many people found it interesting is something I consider a real blessing. We’re incredibly grateful that people chose

to support our games from among the vast array of wonderful content available.

MY: I’m truly grateful and thankful to the many fans who have supported the series in various ways over its long history since being localised for the West. What does the future hold for Ryu Ga Gotuku Studio? MY: Going forward, I believe RGG Studio will continue creating works centred around Japanese culture, cities, and various other elements, aiming to deliver a complete picture of the Japan of today to players. RH: We want to keep making games that exceed your expectations, one after another.

• Yakuza Kiwami 3 + Dark Ties is out Feb 12

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jbhifi.com.au