During a recent livestream, Masayoshi Yokoyama, head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, confirmed that Yakuza 3 Kiwami will be the final remake in the Kiwami series, and that the team is preparing to launch a brand-new saga. He also encouraged fans to play Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties to better understand what he meant.
“Some of the games we’re working on have already been announced, but including the ones we’ll be making moving forward, I think Yakuza 3 will be the last one, and Kiwami line will come to an end,” Yokoyama explained.
“I don’t think it will continue as the Kiwami series anymore. I think a different series will begin. And not something like Like a Dragon 9, but rather a new series on a different line, with a different meaning. That might be something you’ll understand once you play Yakuza Kiwami 3.”
The End Of The Kiwami Series
It appears that fans hoping to see remakes of Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 will be disappointed. According to Yokoyama’s words, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is ready to move forward and tell a completely new story rather than continue remaking older titles.
This marks the end of a long remake journey that started with Yakuza Kiwami, which rebuilt the original games with modern technology and updated mechanics.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties will be available starting February 12, meaning players have not yet had the chance to fully understand the meaning behind Yokoyama’s statements. However, there are already some strong hints.
Without revealing spoilers, it is likely that Yokoyama is writing — or has already written — a new story centered around one of the characters from the latest remake. It will be interesting to see exactly where this new project leads and how it reshapes the future of the franchise.
