Yakuza 4 headed to North America and Europe in spring 2011

by JC Fletcher on Jun 8th 2010 12:25PM

We didn't believe Sega would ever localize Yakuza 3. We also didn't believe Yakuza 3 would sell enough to justify a localization of Yakuza 4. We were wrong on both counts! Today, Sega announced that it's bringing the PS3's Yakuza 4 to North America and Europe in spring 2011, to the delight of everyone who likes beating up gangsters so severely that they feel compelled to apologize and offer money.

Rather than focusing entirely on the exploits of ex-crime boss/family man Kazuma Kiryu, Yakuza 4 splits the story between four different characters, including a homeless man, a detective, an ex-con, and Kazuma. If you don't mind paging through a bunch of Japanese text, you can try it out right now, thanks to a demo on Japan's PlayStation Store.

Yakuza 4 (PS3)

Source

Tags: Q2-2011, Release-Date, RPG, Sega, Yakuza, Yakuza-4

Reader Comments (48)

Sweet! I'm glad to hear that Yakuza 4 is coming out. I know the combat can get a bit repetitive, but for the Yakuza series, you come for the gameplay and stay for the story.

Nice avatar! I haven't been to illwillpress in ages. Just for that, I'm gonna stab someone in the eye with a french fry.

Literally some of the best news I've heard all year. I was "boycotting" Sega for Yakuza 3 until I actually played it and fell in love with it anyway (It still doesn't excuse the hack-job, but you're only losing out if you pass on Yakuza 3. It's a great game).

It's about time, but Spring 2011? They couldn't get the translation done earlier? :|

You want them to rush the translation? Really?

Yes! Cannot wait!

YAAAAAAAAAY! I wonder how you say that in Japanese?

やった yatta!
Time for some good ol' fashion beat em ups.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x5ckHAl4gs

How do you know Japanese Grey_Ryuk?

Watch non-dubbed anime, or research. Yatta is a well known Japanese word.

@nerdydesi
I'm not fluent in it by any means by I do fit the bill for what many people would call an Otaku. I did take a course on Japanese once though. It's just that when you immerse yourself in a lot of Japanese things you pick up some stuff.

@Spike
I just finished watching Cowboy Bebop a few days ago. Don't know how I let that anime pass me by all these years. I always wanted to watch it, but some things just kept coming up. Seeing your avatar all the time gave me the push to just watch it. Best 10 hours I have ever spent on anime.

Definitely in my top 5. I have seen few others that has beat it out, in my opinion. Everything about it was done so well.

What anime do you feel is better? Might have to check them out.

School Rumble, Welcome To The NHK, Chromartie High, and Tokyo Majin. Those are my top 5, including Bebop. NHK is probably my all time favorite.

Cromartie High Live action was better than the anime IMO.

I found them both to be great. I enjoy the anime more since it contains more story and comedy. But I will say the live action is probably one of THE best from an anime.

やった would be more like "I did it!", but it still works here.

I'd go with わい as "yay".

@Yan

One Piece. Please tell me if it's worth it!

@Spike Spiegel

For me it is. Makes me feel like a kid again. Reminds me of those stories my parents/grandparents used to tell me about wild and majestic worlds filled with eccentric people.

Thanks. That is good enough for me =D

I agree that "Wai!" is more akin to "Yay!" than "Yatta!"

Spike, I'm surprised to find another fan of School Rumble here. I'm a really big fan of it; not only have I been collecting the manga volumes as they've been released here in the US, but when I discovered that the rate of publication was slowing dramatically, I went ahead and just bought the latter half of the series from Amazon.co.jp. Also, the PSP visual novel I've been playing (for . . . a loooong time) is the School Rumble PSP game. The plot is pretty whacked out: they're trying to solve the "murder" of Karasuma.

Also, I agree with Yan about One Piece. Reading it, watching the show, even just paging through Oda's illustrations, I'm reminded of when I was a kid just drawing whatever crazy things came to my mind, dreaming up strange stories for them. Plus, the characters are a fun bunch.

Also nice to see another School Rumble fan here. Probably the most hilarious series I have come across.

A Yakuza game coming over without the fans having to whine for several months?

I love you, SEGA. Just bring the full game this time, will ya?

Here's hoping they won't cut content out this go-around

Hellz Yeah!

Dude next year is looking insane!!! Damn, I luv gaming!

Now this one I'm really looking forward to. I still haven't bought a Yakuza game yet (sad, I know) but w/ the multiple characters and storylines and the awesome narrative I think this will have, I'm going to get this one day one.

YES! YES!

Like the others said, no more content cutting, SEGA.

awesome news, ordered Yakuza 3 the other day, so hopefully it comes tomorrow, good to know that the 4th one is being released here as well.

Sorry Sega! Do not want! Fix Yakuza 3 first... then I'll consider buying this franchise again.

red dead and gta are far from crap. you probably just don't like tme because they are popular.

hope they don't cut out too many things this time...

AGREED!!!!!!!!! i'm still hoping that the things cut out of 3 gets added as DLC

So, how can i find this demo on their playstation store? Ive been looking for a while with no luck

Japanese store.

I don't know how the menus work or translate though, if that's what you're asking.

Indeed it was im afraid.

:'( Sorry bro.

Don't know if this will help, but "demo" would be written like this: デモ.

I still plan on getting Yakuza 3 eventually. Just got about 130 other games to get first.

OMFG!! I think I just put a hole in my underwear I am so excited!

They are going to remove all of the dialogue, exploration, and mini-games keep all the exciting fighting - so that its a more tailored experience for western gamers.

/sarcasm

the game is shit, end of. the triads do not have pussy ass hair cuts and fight like baboons

Are you stupid? Triads are a Chinese mafia. Yakuza are Japanese. Even then, they are far from the same. Yakuza are truly organized. Not gang peddlers.

OMFG WOOOOT I AM SO FREAKIN HAPPY THEY DECIDED TO LOCALIZE IT

Thank you Sega for listening to our pleas! Now we just gotta wait til 2011 Spring D:

I finished Yakuza 3 about a week ago. I liked the story and the setting, but I didn't like the stop-and-fight game mechanics. It made me think there was too much fighting, even.

I guess I will probably pick up Yakuza 4 when it drops in price though.

Please, please let it sell like there's no tomorrow. All in the sake of eventually getting Kenzan!

I just hope they don't edit out a bunch of stuff this time.

Finding out the NA version of Y3 was abridged turned it from a solid purchase to a solid rental.
This is their chance to redeem themselves.

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Yakuza 4 headed to North America and Europe in spring 2011

Yakuza 4 (PS3)

Reader Comments (48)

Posted: Jun 8th 2010 12:28PM PilzE wants your mint spaghetti said

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