'Yakuza: Like a Dragon' might never have happened without 'Yakuza 0'
'Yakuza: Like a Dragon' takes the franchise in a bold new direction, but that never could have happened without 'Yakuza 0.' Here's why.
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
-
We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
[Inverse] How Yakuza 0 paved the way for Like a Dragon
- Thread starter --R
- Start date
I can certainly say that Yakuza 0 was the game that got me interested in the franchise and is the main reason I'm going with Like a Dragon as my Series X launch title. I haven't played 1-6 yet, but I intend to eventually. 0 was a great jumping on point, and Like a Dragon seems like another one.
#BuildingTheList specifically is what gave Yakuza a new lease of life in Western territories. It was a dream come true to see Yakuza 5 announced on stage after years of non-activity from the franchise.
So it was as we thought, Sony had to step in to make it happen.
Some people on here were sure Sega magically decided to make it happen.
Gio Corsi is awesome.
Some people on here were sure Sega magically decided to make it happen.
Gio Corsi is awesome.
Hopefully this kills the myth that Sony has never done anything for the series.
Really glad Sony stuck with the Yakuza series.
And it's also why I'm miffed that the PS5 version is delayed.
And it's also why I'm miffed that the PS5 version is delayed.
Building The List made all the difference, that was an exciting time. I remember back in 2014 in the first PSX my absolute elation to see that Yakuza 5 was coming to the west, I know it wasn't a big hit but it mattered.
And then the following year with Yakuza 0 being announced for a western release, it was the perfect primer for western audiences who only had word of mouth from hardcore fans of the series previously.
And then the following year with Yakuza 0 being announced for a western release, it was the perfect primer for western audiences who only had word of mouth from hardcore fans of the series previously.
So without Sony really pushing for a localization for Yakuza 0 we would be living in a different timeline.
I didn't own a PS2 so missed Yakuza 1 and 2. I was never going to join the series mid way through 3, 4 or 5. I kept hearing good things about the series and wanted to jump in. I was annoyed that the Wii U ports of 1 and 2 didn't come over west.
0 was my moment to jump in and it's been a phenomenal experience playing all the way through to Yakuza 6 on PS4. I paced out playing through 0, kiwami and kiwami 2 so that just as I finished 2 I could roll into the PS4 versions of 3, 4 and 5.
Playing though all those games over the last 7 months has been a lovely escape.
If 0 hadn't been so good, I don't know if I'd have marathoned the rest so quickly.
Now I'm trying to 100% the Xbox versions on gamepass and Yakuza 7 is the only Series X launch game I'm definitely buying.
0 was my moment to jump in and it's been a phenomenal experience playing all the way through to Yakuza 6 on PS4. I paced out playing through 0, kiwami and kiwami 2 so that just as I finished 2 I could roll into the PS4 versions of 3, 4 and 5.
Playing though all those games over the last 7 months has been a lovely escape.
If 0 hadn't been so good, I don't know if I'd have marathoned the rest so quickly.
Now I'm trying to 100% the Xbox versions on gamepass and Yakuza 7 is the only Series X launch game I'm definitely buying.
o>
Everyone enjoying the games on PC and Xbox owe a debt of thanks to this great man. Heck, even the PS players should thank him again.
Thank you, Mr. Corsi!
Hardly ideal but when will players on other consoles and PC get to play the remasters and Judgment? PS players are hardly the poor cousins in this.
That's why i don't get why the Ps5 version comes later, and why they didn't bother with cross save with ps4.
The biggest community of Yakuza(by far) is on PS.
The biggest community of Yakuza(by far) is on PS.
Y'all are silly.
Are any of the folks responsible for #BuildTheList even still at Sony? I know Gio isn't.
The difference here is that Judgment and remasters weren't simultaneous multiplat releases that just omitted one platform. Up to that point the series was mostly just a PS exclusive.
It's not the same situation with Y7 being a multiplat release with only the PS5 version coming out at a later date.
I played the original back on PS2 but bailed on the game when I couldn't max out my friendship with Haruka (lol, I know).
I just got back into the series with 0 which I'm playing right now (I'm on the last chapter) and the game is beyond good, and the localization is straight up amazing. Can't wait to slowly play my way through all the games.
I just got back into the series with 0 which I'm playing right now (I'm on the last chapter) and the game is beyond good, and the localization is straight up amazing. Can't wait to slowly play my way through all the games.
So you'd have been happier if Y7 had been a complete exclusive.
What are you even talking about lol
You compared things that aren't in the same situation. What does that have anything to do with making Y7 full exclusive? Do you believe that RGG was making PC and Xbox versions of all Yakuza games all these years and everytime Sony showed up with a deal to make the games Sony exclusives or something?
Cause that's how your argument sounds like.
Getting Yakuza 5 was one of the most hype things ever. Then the next year they announced that 0 was coming was even more hype. Then the next event after that they announced Kiwami 1 and 6... By then I just couldn't believe how dreams were actually happening.
What an amazing time that was. I was so happy.
No surprise about the Sony thing, 5 at least was super dead until they came along. Of course, (not having read the article fully yet) I'm still curious as to why Sega greenlit 0 over here before 5 was released (as 0 got announced for localisation a week before 5 was actually released on PS3 digitally). Just wondering what pushed Sega over the edge for that.
And really, although this thread unsurprisingly already has devolved into whining about the PS5 version of 7, it can't be said enough how the localisations have definitely stepped up several notches this gen for the series. Back in the days of the PS3, it was a revelation how 4 ended up fixing many of the prior issues with the series and all that did was changing a couple of names back and not cutting content like 3. And now you look at the likes of Judge Eyes and 7 which, aside from truly having no cut content (including the licensed music, which actually remains in the games these days), you also have dual subtitles, more languages supported, English dub with actual effort put into it (including Karaoke) and the series actually getting a spotlight from platform providers. Oh, and games not released years after the Japanese release, can't forget about that.
I look forward to replaying 7 again in March when it hits PS5, it still remains my unchallenged GOTY (though GoT definitely came close in places, 7 had the better plot and characters... and lip synching).
And really, although this thread unsurprisingly already has devolved into whining about the PS5 version of 7, it can't be said enough how the localisations have definitely stepped up several notches this gen for the series. Back in the days of the PS3, it was a revelation how 4 ended up fixing many of the prior issues with the series and all that did was changing a couple of names back and not cutting content like 3. And now you look at the likes of Judge Eyes and 7 which, aside from truly having no cut content (including the licensed music, which actually remains in the games these days), you also have dual subtitles, more languages supported, English dub with actual effort put into it (including Karaoke) and the series actually getting a spotlight from platform providers. Oh, and games not released years after the Japanese release, can't forget about that.
I look forward to replaying 7 again in March when it hits PS5, it still remains my unchallenged GOTY (though GoT definitely came close in places, 7 had the better plot and characters... and lip synching).
It was that damn baseball challenge wasn't it?! Because that one almost drove me mad a few months back when I was in the process of plat'ing the HD remaster of 1 but <points to avatar> I managed it in the end!
I doubt Sony gives a toss one way or the other. It certainly feels like a hale and hearty fuck you to the fanbase that helped them get this far though.
Glad to hear that Sony was able to help bring back Yakuza and I'm looking forward to playing the next game on PS5.
Well, I doubt the localisation team had much say in any plans to release the PS5 version later, that's probably thanks to RGGS head honchos in Japan. And since the game has been out all year over there, I can't imagine they really thought it through but rather took the deal (assuming there even was one) and ran with it. Things would probably be different if they tried pulling the same stunt but making the Asian fanbase (which still makes up the largest share of the fanbase) wait as well. The reaction would not be pretty.
Thank Gio. As a Yakuza fan early on, shit was painful. Incredible to see the series successful here now.
I wonder what sort of reaction we'll get if the next Yakuza game is also console timed exclusive on XSX. Especially if they do simultaneous worldwide release on everything but PS5 in the west.
That would be when RGG lose all support and respect I had for them. I was already feeling put off with the combat change, paid difficulty modes/new game+, so this would be the final nail in the coffin.
I don't think it will happen though.
Would make sense, especially what with the push for the remasters in later years more for those regions that missed out on the games, rather than Japan where they didn't sell all that much at all.
One thing I hope Sega takes away from Yakuza is how they do localization. Let's have a dub and a sub with the Japanese voices both along with the other language options for their other IPs too like Persona. I'd love it if more Japanese publishers did this.