Yakuza 5 and second PSP Yakuza in development at Studio Yakuza (also: Yakuza!)

by Justin McElroy on Aug 31st 2011 10:30AM

You may think of Yakuza games as the exclusive purview of Dan, the guy in the polyester dragon shirt who's always at the comic store, even though he doesn't work there. But over in Japan, the series is a big business. "Just how big?",you ask, as you pretend to read an Archie to avoid making eye contact with Dan.

Famitsu reports (as translated by Andriasang) that the team developing Binary Domain (headed by Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi) has christened itself Studio Yakuza. Though it clearly won't dabble in the franchise exclusively, its next two titles are Yakuza Black Panther 2 -- due in spring 2012 for the PSP -- and, unsurprisingly, Yakuza 5.

We think we can all agree: The day belongs to Dan.

Source: Andriasang (1), Andriasang (2)

Tags: playstation, ps3, psp, sony, studio-yakuza, yakuza-5, yakuza-black-panther-2

Reader Comments (41)

So how about getting some localization going on?

@Faceless Troll

I know, right! Imagine if Yakuza 1, 2, 3, and 4 came to the states!

But alas...

@CaptainProtonX still we are missing 2
yakuza to the end & the psp game

@alzeer Don't forget Kenzan!

Milking ..

@kmcroc

All companies do nowadays is milk franchises. Look at Halo, Call of Duty, Sonic the Hedgehog, God of War.

As far as I'm concerned, they can milk away. Yakuza 3 and 4 were both amazing. Give me more of that milk, Sega.

@kmcroc
Great franchises like this one deserved to be milked.

@Apsac D GREAT RESPONSE TO MY COMMENT.

@That One Guy YOU NEED TO RELAX & STOP GETTING YOUR PANTIES IN BUNCH OVER WHAT ANYONE COMMENTS ,YOUR REACTING LIKE YOU PERSONALLY WERE ATTACKED . RELAX

@Apsac D GREAT RESPONSE .

@Dropeti GREAT RESPONSE .

@That One Guy wanna know why i got all pissed about it Alan wake going (has not happened ) cause am tired of all you cheap POS one console owners crying & wanting what every other console has cause your all to F cheap or to stupid to own more than on console , then you all clutch to that sad F excuse everyone should be able to play a great game. know what their is away to play all great games it's called multi console ownership.but if you happen to live at home w/ mom or dad then tough deal,but if your old enough to get a job then get one & join the rest of us who own both or all . but stop crying & wanting ,most of all enough with that lame everyone crap.

@That One Guy wasn't trying to please anyone or society .typed in caps cause i was thrilled about how some took to my comment . no more no less .

@kmcroc

What exactly makes you think those who only own one system are the ones living with their parents? From what I've seen, it's the other way around. Also, how exactly does owning one system make me "cheap or to stupid"?

I personally only own one because 360 games are generally the same thing: guns and aliens... I'm sick of shooters and I don't like alien games. I also don't agree with Microsoft; nor Sony anymore for that matter.

You also seem to come off as being a kid yourself...

Yakuza?

One more time. YAKUZA!

Which Yakuza game is the one with zombies

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Are the Yakuza games any good if you're not a japanophile? The reviews were good and the games seem like they might be interesting, but I could never tell about their appeal to someone who is neutral in regards to all things Japan.

@SisypheanLife I don't really get this comment. The game's not good because you're in Japan. It's good because it has a good atmosphere in the same sense that Deus Ex has a good atmosphere, and the story is really really good. Also, tons of stuff to do,.

@SisypheanLife
I think so. I went to Yakuza 3 expecting to hit the claw machines & karaoke and ended up shocked at how entertaining (and dare I say occassionally heartfelt) the story was. Generally speaking, if you like the sentimentality, convoluted plots and overall craziness of the MGS series, then there's a lot to like here.

@RickGhastly

No, I really didn't like the entire MGS series storyline, but I think that had more to do with Kojima's bloated writing than anything else. He never seemed to find a way to say something with one sentence when he could instead spend twenty minutes rambling.

@SisypheanLife
Well are Grand Theft Auto games any good when you aren't in the US? Japanese are just as crazy about Americans as Americans are about Japanese.

@SisypheanLife
True about Kojima. Well, the Yakuza games can get about as convoluted as MGS when dealing with clan rivalries (every once in a while you don't know what the hell is going on), but I wouldn't say they're as verbose and "ponderous" as the MGS games. Still, tone-wise they're very similar.

@Cleric That's why he asked...Its pretty obvious that for more than a few people there is some novelty to getting to run around a city in Japan and explore the culture. But yes, you are very correct, listen to this man people!

Would they mind making one of their game, Shenmue 3? Can't be that hard, they're regularly pumping out these titles with similar levels of detail to what Shenmue 3 would have now. :( Shenmue 1 was only mega expensive because they had made it on Saturn first, then remade it on Dreamcast and let things get out of control a bit (1 and 2 were supposed to be one game, yet they managed to make 'Ryo tries to buy a plane ticket' into a 8 hour adventure').

I had no interest in this series cause it's about Japanese mafia, then my interest peaked when I saw the zombie trailer, but I have no idea which one it is

Do what you do best Sega, whore that franchise!

When's that zombie one coming out?

My name is Dan, and I love the Yakuza series, but I don't have a polyester dragon shirt. Does that mean the day doesn't belong to me?

@quarlie polyester really, after admitting to wearing a polyester Dragon shirt the day most definitely belongs to you. lol

@kmcroc " not "

The Zombie game (Yakuza: To The End) has a demo on the Japanese PSN. It's nice looking although, unless I'm doing something wrong and/or my limited Japanese is failing me, it takes ages to plug a zombie with enough bullets/smash it with enough office furniture to make it go down.

@milespieri Aim for the head. Which is easier said than done due to the bizarre controls, but in the full game, there's a helpful headshot lock-on ability that you can unlock. I can't remember if it's available in the demo.

I just never understood the fascination with this game. Usually I gobble up anything from japan but to me this is just a mediocre beat 'um up, what am I missing?

@type2red
Sounds like you're missing the story, side quests and specials, especially some of the more brutal HEAT actions.

Yakuza is awesome

Yu Suzuki just punched himself in the face five times.

AH COME ON! I don't want more Yakuza! I want Shenmue! Yu Suzuki could develop a great Shenmue and it would cost likely the same as Yakuza. IT WOULD SELL!

This spells the death of any hope of them returning to work on F-Zero.

If the Yakuza series is such a big deal in Japan, surely they could spring to get voice acting for the whole thing? I really enjoy the series but c'mon. A smidgen more branching dialog shouldn't be too much to ask for in this day and age as well

did that zombie one ever came out in the US? That game looked so cool D: i want it.

I'm sure this post is going to be about as white as Kid (of Kid 'n Play) pretty soon, but am I the only person out there that finds Yakuza to be superior to Shenmue in just about every conceivable area outside of realistic portrayals of hot dog vending? Don't get me wrong, I LOVED Shenmue but I just don't understand the argument that they need to somehow "do away with this crap" and bring back Shenmue. Are you serious? That's like hoping the Dragon Quest series fails because you stopped getting your precious Earthbound sequels.

A new Shenmue would be amazing. But, know what? You don't have one. While you're pining away for a sequel, you're missing a wonderful series that'd have a lot to offer Shenmue fans if most of them weren't so damned blinded by nostalgia and some kind of perverted idea of gaming cred.

TL;DR? Your dilettantism is holding you back, bro. No one'll question your credibility if you take Shenmue off the pedestal for a single day.

Yakuza 5 and second PSP Yakuza in development at Studio Yakuza (also: Yakuza!)

Reader Comments (41)

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 10:33AM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 10:41AM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 11:15AM alzeer said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 2:40PM Epoque said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 10:38AM kmcroc said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 10:44AM Apsac D said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 10:52AM Dropeti said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:05PM kmcroc said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:07PM kmcroc said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:08PM kmcroc said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:09PM kmcroc said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:23PM kmcroc said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:29PM kmcroc said

Posted: Sep 5th 2011 4:42AM vulgar said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 10:39AM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 10:50AM Link408 said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 10:52AM Dropeti said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 11:08AM SisypheanLife said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 11:22AM Cleric said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 11:22AM RickGhastly said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 11:34AM SisypheanLife said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 11:40AM pluupy said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:13PM RickGhastly said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 4:40PM Yuutuu said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 11:10AM Dick Socrates said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 11:35AM Link408 said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 11:32AM gangcar said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 11:54AM kentuckyfried said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:03PM quarlie said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:25PM kmcroc said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:26PM kmcroc said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:18PM milespieri said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 12:54PM quarlie said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 1:02PM type2red said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 1:40PM Helghast102 said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 1:05PM SEGA Scream said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 2:23PM neoXmahi said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 2:41PM Epoque said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 6:06PM Crayola Q Pants ESQ said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 6:10PM Knives Chau said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 8:36PM RickGhastly said

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