Ben-DutkaThis has become a fairly common trend for Sega and their critically acclaimed Yakuza franchise: "make us happy, and we'll give you the next title."
We just received Yakuza 3 here in the US on Tuesday, but we should remind you that it has been available in Japan for over a year. They're already reviewing Yakuza 4 in the Land of the Rising Sun (set to release on March 18) and if we ever want to see it, we should show our love for the series. Or so Sega says. If you check out the Comments underneath the PlayStation Blog entry for the Western launch of Yakuza 3 , you will see a comment by Sega of America's Assistant Community Manager, Aaron Webber; it was in reply to the obvious question concerning the localization of Yakuza 4 :
"It’s not a question I can really answer for you, but I would encourage all fans of the series to show their support for Yakuza by picking up a copy [of Yakuza 3]. At the end of the day, numbers often speak loudest."
Yeah, well, Sega took a while to decide if Yakuza 3 was worth localizing after mediocre sales of the second entry in North America. Furthermore, in addition to the year-long wait, we now know Sega was forced to cut some of the content and several features out of the Western version due to certain "translation constraints." So right now, it's sort of a strained relationship between the two regions. The question is, will American PS3 owners respond to Yakuza 3 …? The critics certainly seem to like it.
Related Game(s): Yakuza 4
i'd get it, but budget constraints being what they are i'm going to have to rent. sorry sega. and everyone looking for my help to up the sales #s.
I understand. I'm in the same boat unfortunately.
Must… support… Yakuza 3!
Must… support…. Yakuza…. faster!
Will get when I can
Or, will just keep honing my Japanese language skills and import Yakuza 4
HAHAHA…yea I would do that myself once I get the time to. But hey I'm definitely going to buy Yakuza 3 – it IS THE GAME…for me. It means as much to me as MGS 4 does.
I have played the demo and it was kinda fun, but I don't know if I enjoyed it enough to purchase it. Will probably rent it first to actually get into the game (the demo was pretty limited) then decide if its worth a purchase. Even if I do decide to purchase it, it won't happen any time soon because of all of the other games that just released or are about to release.
i got my copy today i am playing this game frist over F.FXII.
meh, tried both demos, i don't get why this game is so great.
If Sega seriously wanted people to buy this game then why did they release it with zero fanfare right next to some of the highest profile games of this console generation?
Sega has very bad timing. Finally getting Heavy Rain out of my system by playing FFXIII and got GoW3 coming out next week. Yakuza 3, I'll pass.
Definitely buying this one, I really enjoyed the first on the PS2. I will have to get this, FFXIII, Heavy Rain, GOW3, and Yakuza 3. Wow, pretty expensive. Resonance of Fate looks fun, I am bit anxious to read some reviews.
ill buy it soon. id love for it to sell a million in the US.
Well I'm not interested but if I was I'd say this: "If you want us to buy Yakuza games don't wait an entire iteration to bring them to the US. And don't cut content, d-bags"
Yakuza 3 is amazing. Way better then the second one. Story in the first was the best in my opinion, but to early in yakuza 3 to tell. Game is polished and the fights are really addicting. Everyone making their decision based on the demo I implore you not too. The demo throws you right in with no tutorial, the game is by far more superior.
I am gonna have to replay the demo, I must be missing something.
Sega should of released about a month earlier or later. GOW 3 and FFXIII aren't helping those numbers at all.
Have to agree 100%. Seems a bizarre time to release this game when the masses are going to be spending their cash on God Of War and Final Fantasy.
buying it tomorrow, not sure when ill be able to play it though…lol
this march madness release schedule is quite staggering. remember when GT5 was set to come out in march? can you imagine if it did? lol maybe some delays arent so bad after all.
i still have to finish ff13, level up in bfbc2online, finish so:tlh, and i bought wkc 2 weeks ago and havent even had a chance to play it yet. and now yakuza. ps3 is truly an embarassment of riches.
and god of war 3 next week!
Every video I've seen of this game shows nothing but fighting, so naturally I assumed it was a fighting game. But it's actually an action/RPG? LOL. Might help sales if people actually knew what genre it's in.
kinda like river city ransom
Well I think I'll purchase the game the same way they deliver it. A year late.
They waited a year to deliver it because they weren't sure if we'd like it, then cut content, little to no advertising, and they hope we'll buy it. They need some advertising help and customer appreciation help.
Maybe when they release yakuza 4 I'll pay $20 for 3 and play it then.
The game is fantastic just like its predecessors.
No SEGA. You don't tell your customers what to do. You as the one who wants to make money should be bending to the will of the consumer. You want Yakuza 3 to sell? You should have made it English. You cater to a niche, you get the money of a niche.
Supporting Yakuza 3 would be supporting censorship. I will never support censorship.
brilliant concept i really love this concept:) and thumps up for sega
Y3 actually raised the sale of the PS3 when it was released in Japan, I don't see that happening with the rest of the world AT ALL.
Yakuza series are pretty big events in Japan ,franchise its great but usually too japanese and niche for other cultures.
Last edited by Oxvial on 3/10/2010 8:43:59 PM
what localizing?
all they did was take the game, cut out some content, make the text in english than release it at full price.
its a good game actually, just add in english voices so i can listen to whats going on instead of reading it taking my eyes of the action and id be in for the 4th.
till then no thanks!