Ben-DutkaIt's a little ironic, and perhaps somewhat frustrating for fans of the franchise who live in North America.
Only a day after it was revealed that Yakuza 3 would finally be released in the US , Sega has now announced that Yakuza 4 will be on store shelves in Japan on March 18 . Yes, March; the same March that will see the launch of the third iteration here in North America, which means we're exactly one year behind. So if you really wanted, perhaps you could purchase one here and import the other, just so you could play 'em back to back without any waiting and remain up-to-date with the franchise. However, unlike Final Fantasy XIII , we're not sure if the import of Yakuza 4 would be region-free so that would be something you'd have to consider. On the other hand, we know they never include English voiceovers for these games – the spoken dialogue is always in Japanese with English subtitles – so it's not like you'd be missing out on English voices in the import. Of course, you'd have to speak Japanese, but you know, nothing's ever easy…
Maybe if Yakuza 3 does exceptionally well in the sales category in North America and Europe, Sega might speed up the release of the fourth title outside of Japan. Who knows? Right now, we should just be happy that we're getting at least one of them.
Sega sure knows how to tick the American market off.
A year behind?
That's even worse than FF, but then again, here hoping there's gonna be an Asian version and if there is, it's a win situation for Asia.
We have no one to blame but ourselves. There just weren't that many supporters for the previous games. Yakuza 1 and 2, came out when PS2 has 100+ million consoles.
Some sites say there is just about 50k total sales for Yakuza 2, when Japan was over 700k sales. If you see numbers like that again for Yakuza 3, I doubt Yakuza 4 will ever see the sunlight in the west coast.
Question: Is Kenzan! reaching western shores on March as well?
@ Ben,
"However, unlike Final Fantasy XIII, we're not sure if the import of Yakuza 4 would be region-free…"
All PS3 games are region free. I don't recall one PS3 Japanese game being region locked.
True, and whether or not it was region locked, blu-ray japan and US are in the same region so it wouldn't matter. BUT there ARE European games that are region locked, one was a soccer one and I don't recall the others but I know there are some that exist.
There were rumors going around that Sega Europe was going to region lock Bayonetta.
Well that's just cutting your own throat, no matter how good the game is Yak 3 isn't going to be able to compete with the March lineup, which means it'll be at least another year before yak 4 comes here if it does at all.
I feel duped
I'd say we gonna get it the last quarter of 2010.
Yeah two AAA exclusive more for the PS3 in that year when 360 only has Alan Wake.
Mass Effect and Splinter Cell are likely to be just timed exclusives .
Last edited by Oxvial on 12/9/2009 2:22:40 PM
You know, not only are January, February, and March jammed with high profile/(hopefully) good games here in the U.S. but so is the Japanses quarter.
Yakuza 4 is a day-one import for me, as is Hokuto no Ken Musou (Fist of The Nortstar), both of which launch in March 2010 in Japan.
Bah! Ever since I learned that this has only English subs I could care less about this franchise.
let me ask you..if MGS series was like that you wouldn't care?
The only MGS I've ever played was 4. As fantastic as that game is, no I wouldn't have bought it if it was only in english subs. You ever try reading a book with someone talking in the background?
There is tons, and I mean TONS of fantastic Japanese television and movies that I just can't watch because reading subtitles is not my thing. It's frustrating to say the least.
I'm Mexican I always go for the subs … yeah you are losing a lot of cool things.
Last edited by Oxvial on 12/9/2009 5:52:22 PM
If I've never played the series before, and start with 3, am I going to be completely lost?
well Yakuza 2 has an optional 40 mins or so of cutscene/story flashback at the beginning to clue you up on what happened in Yakuza 1.
not sure if this one has the option too.
if someone know about this plz comment!
ps. the internet response makes me believe Yakuza 3 gonna give us surprising sells ala Demon's Souls.
Last edited by Oxvial on 12/9/2009 6:31:20 PM
aint all ps3 games region free?
anyway since this does not have english voice overs im not buying it.
how the hell am i suppose to understand whats going on?
im playing a game not reading a book.
Didn't I make the same announcement yesterday in the other Yakuza story? 😉
I want to play Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan!