Sega: No plans for Yakuza 3 Western release

Sega has told videogaming247 that there are still no plans to bring Japanese open-worlder, Ryū ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) to the West.

We thought we’d ask after being subjected to two sets of screenshots, an excellent looking trailer, and have seen the announcement of Japanese exclusive white, dragon-themed PS3 all in the space of one month.

However, when we asked Sega if it was on its way West, a company rep replied: “Not that I know of.”

One day, eh?

Yakuza 3 is released on February 26 in Japan.

By Mike Bowden

17 comments

Blerk
23/01/09, 3:17 pm

Obligatory linkage.

Hero of Canton
23/01/09, 3:19 pm

Disaster: Day of Crisis (and Disappointment).

What a massive, massive shame. Looks like I’m going to have to learn Japanese, then.

DaMan
23/01/09, 3:21 pm

I think it will come out in Europe eventually.

the second one was released two years after the japanese version.

ecu
23/01/09, 3:21 pm

Can’t blame ‘em.

Blerk
23/01/09, 3:28 pm

Yeah, and it sold round about 50 copies, DaMan. On a platform with a much larger install-base. I suspect that’s why they’re being cautious again.

Retroid
23/01/09, 3:30 pm

They obviously hate us :’(

Blerk
23/01/09, 3:32 pm

But not as much as we hate Yakuza, apparently. Which is a much, much bigger shame because it’s super-full-of-awesome.

Retroid
23/01/09, 3:37 pm

It’s Shenmue with more story and mobsters instead of a teenager wanting revenge. Of course it’s super-full-of-awesome!

ecu
23/01/09, 4:09 pm

Wish I hadn’t sold my copy of the first one now. I got really tired of the constant fighting, so I sold it. I’m willing to give it another go!

#10

DaMan
23/01/09, 4:17 pm

“Yeah, and it sold round about 50 copies, DaMan. On a platform with a much larger install-base. I suspect that’s why they’re being cautious again.”

but it was released on a platform that ‘s at the end of it’s life cycle. besides I don’t remember ANY advertisement of the PS2 Yakuzas and/or all these trailers like they’re doing with the third one. in fact previous games almost weren’t marketed..

#11

Blerk
23/01/09, 4:21 pm

Well, the first one was released when the PS2 was still a going concern and that sold about 50 copies too.

There was plenty of marketing for the first two, but pretty much all in Japan – where both games did blisteringly well. There was a reasonable marketing attempt at the first game over here (they made a big deal of the English voice cast, if you remember), but not so much on the second one (possibly because they ditched the English voice cast).

So yeah, it’s no surprise it doesn’t sell. Doesn’t make it any less of a god damn shame, unfortunately.