Sega's Yakuza games don't really have much of a history with Nintendo's platforms, but somehow questions continue to be asked about the possibility of the series coming to the Switch.
During an interview with IGN Japan recently, series producer Toshihiro Nagoshi said the third-person action adventure games had not been considered for the Switch, at least for now. While it's not much, it is slightly different from the response we heard last July, about Nintendo's hybrid system not being the right platform for this series.
This followed on with a question asking if there was a chance of Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima – two lead characters from the series – appearing as DLC characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Nagoshi seemed to find this amusing and jokingly said the game's director Masahiro Sakurai wouldn't want them.
The last time the Yakuza series graced one of Nintendo's platforms was during the Wii U generation when Sega gave Yakuza 1 & 2 HD a Japan-only release in 2013. Sales bombed and the bundle shipped less than 2000 copies in its first week.
Would you like to see Yakuza given a second chance on a Nintendo platform? Have you ever wanted to see this series represented in Smash Bros? Tell us down below.
[source twinfinite.net]
Comments 72
Dont care.
Give me Shining Force 3 and Panzer Dragon Saga.
You can't just say stuff isn't happening and pass it off as news. It wasn't happening before the interview lol. So what exactly is IGN trying to inform us about? I mean 'announced' is news. 'Cancelled' is news. But surely when a game has not been announced, our default expectation is 'not planned'. So please IGN, tell us something we don't know lol.
@SteveF you cared enough to comment though
Maybe with pro switch.... 4gb memory is kinda low guys. 6gb should've been. Well it's what it is
Stupid of them not to want to port their games to the system with the strongest Japanese userbase. Yakuza is a great game and it would do very well on the Switch.
Guess they just don't want our money.
How about a decent Super Monkey Ball game or Virtua fighter port Sega????
it's a shame that they won't give it a second chance because of the Wii U versions sold poorly. there's always PC or PS2 though.
Another article on another game not coming. How many articles on this theme are there now? Write an article when something is coming instead.
Wouldn't work. Switch just isn't powerful enough for the later games like 6 and Kiwami 2, which are some of the best looking PS4 games
@Medic_alert There would be no point bringing across 1 and 2 when the PS4 remakes exist. They’re sooo much better and Kiwami 2 would be a challenge as it runs on the same engine as 6.
Nagoshi says that Sakurai wouldn't want Kiryu or Majima?!
Isn't Sakurai a big Judgement/Yakuza fan?
@Medic_alert
Can you read? I said Kiwami 2, which uses the dragon engine. Nobody is talking about the old ugly PS2 original. Nobody wants to play that. Get outta here
@Medic_alert Have you played Kiwami 2? It’s probably more taxing than 6 and I’m not sure the Switch has enough RAM to cope with the city being completely rendered at all times.
Finding Yakuza 0 incredibly boring, a real slog. I want to finish it but doubt I'll continue with the franchise.
@Medic_alert It’s too much of a massive overhaul for an inferior version to release on Switch. There’d have to be some major compromises and at that rate, what’s the point?
Must be slow news day because we already knew this. Its a shame cause Yakuza is a great series.
What is the point on reporting on things that aren't happening for Switch?!
@illmatic20xx new interview, new questions, new answers. Even if they are the same it’s an update on the situation which rules out speculation from others.
Pretty lame, but there are so many other SEGA games better suited for the Switch.
And sure, we’ve had some very surprising characters show up in Smash, but I don’t think anyone has even considered a Yakuza character for Smash, nor do I think they even will show up in any future Smash either.
Yakuza is a great series. I would purchase all of the games for the switch. I’d be happy If we could get Yakuza 0, 1 and 2 for switch. Yakuza dead souls, Yakuza Kenzan or Yakuza Ishin would be a huge surprise and very cool to see on switch.
@BANJO Or even bringing back Super Monkey Ball 1 & 2?
Currently playing Yakuza 0 on PC and loving it. It's kinda like a cross between GTA, Shenmue and Streets of Rage and set it in a Japanese version of Sopranos! Will be picking up Kiwami 1 and 2 for PC and praying that the rest come.
@Tandy255 Yes, both of those in a double pack in HD would suit me just fine. Great idea....
I want to play these on Nintendo hardware. Guess I'll import the Wii U version. I still think it's a possibility. I never thought I'd play a DOA game on switch and here it is.
**still HOPING for a Batman Armored Edition port** that was an awesome game. C mon Nintendo!!!
Not on my Sega wish list anyway!
Give us some Saturn and dreamcast classics!
Yakuza 0 would be fantastic on the Switch. The game has a PS3 version so a port would be technically feasible and the game offers a great, standalone introduction to the series.
Kiryu would also be a fantastic addition to Smash. He's a great mix of violence and comedy that'd fit in well with the rest of the cast.
Shame SEGA's keeping the series of Switch for the time being.
@Lord
The Yakuza series contains Saturn classics. Yakuza Kiwami 2, for example, has full versions of Virtual Fighter 2 and Virtua On in the main game.
The new spinoff game, Judgment, has Fighting Vipers in it.
It would be cool if they brought over the Wii U games. I'd like to see anther Project X Zones on Switch.
What a shame! Smh
I can't say I'm surprised. I would even bet Sony has paid for prohibiting it.
Don't care,
But please consider shenmue
@GrailUK unfortunately it seems this is all NL does these days, reposting other sites’ hollow pieces of nothingness and passing them as “news”.
Seriously, I’m not even sure why I visit this site anymore, as it’s a shadow of its former self.
Both reviews and articles have really fallen in quality in the last 2-3 years (yep, it began before Tom went away, he was probably smart enough to smell it and run before too much damage was done).
Sigh.
@Medic_alert that's funny, you have the same big complaint about this series as Nitro Rad. Not that you're wrong, as the games are admittingly a bit repetitive in their combat, but considering the super moves you can do and how the games are designed, this was probably intentional. In my opinion, while certainly not the best games I've ever played, they are most definitely some the more entertaining and fun with tons of content, those insane heat moves that put a dumb smile on my face whenever I use them, and utterly kickass music, So I could definitely see appeal in taking an experience like that on the go.
Guess I’m sticking with the PS4 with these games. And I had no idea ign Japan was a thing.
That's okay man. Personally, I found most of the bosses to be good, but not excellent either. That being said, in hindsight, the story behind the fights were great, and the dynamic intro for a few of them were awesome. Also, I agree with you on using mostly the rush style in fights to speed things along, as well as upgrading your attack power and occasionally switching to brawler for more attack power and heat moves.
So they release two ports for a system that nobody care about on a freaking island away from 90% of all human race who are still waiting for these games which they never get. Then because the few 10% never bought them games or does not buy them enough so they're not releasing it to the rest of the 90%? Sounds like a sad excuse to me, yes I heard good things about it but how will I know that if the freaking games ain't coming?
ATTN
Game not announced for Switch still not coming to Switch.
Character not announced for Smash still not coming to Smash
I don't think anyone would want this series in Smash anyways tbh. The director is a Sony fanboy who resists Nintendo and MS at every step. Sega ported a few old games to a dead system, they flopped, and he's been all too happy to shield himself behind that ever since.
This is why I refuse to touch the series witj a 10 foot pole. You're not interested in me as a consumer, I'm not interested in you as a seller.
I must be in the minority. I played through 0, then got the next game but it just didn't hold my interest. Probably because the characters are scum.
have them on PS3 and PS4, so wouldn't get them on Switch, and most were playstation exclusives, so I doubt Sony will give them up (would be like Sony's Spiderman coming to Switch or nintendo's games coming to Sony). Other than that, if Sega were to re-release some games on Switch, or even bring some new or old franchises over to it, I'd choose, Toe Jam And Earl 3, Panzer Dragoon, a new Golden Axe (not the bad one for PS3 and 360), Alien Isolation and please, please...a new Super Monkey Ball! Seriously, it's been since the VITA since a new Monkey Ball was released (I believe the VITA's came after the two for Wii).
Really with all the great games SEGA could port to the Switch, there too busy trying to bundle Sonic Forces with better games.
Not really bothered with yakuza but I would love to have the arcade game ports it has, should be pretty easy to sell, I know we got SEGA AGES but that's taking ages to release anything just give us a sega arcade collection much like the Mega Drive ones you keep pushing.
Great games! But the story arc is done. Played it, no desire to start over knowing what it is all about.
Start a new story or Bring Judgement to switch.
nah, i'm not interested in the series anyway.
Yakuza had its own subcategory in Sega's recent survey, and I imagine a LOT of the "fill in the comment" blanks asked for Switch ports.
I can’t believe there isn’t a Monkey Ball on Switch yet. C’mon Sega!
I love this series. It has one of the best “gangster” plots in gaming. Well acted and directed. I think it gets ported to Switch eventually. Why wouldn’t it?
I stil wonder why they had Nagoshi on the stage back during the Switch reveal in January '17. He seemed pretty confused about being there. Oh well. Still bizarre that they keep on using the Wii U releases as reasons not to publish on Nintendo hardware.
Strange that they're so adamant on keeping the series of other platforms; I believe the PC ports are an initiative from the Sega western branch, if they didn't want to, nothing would have happened but PS releases.
Which is a shame. I've played 4, Kiwami, playing 0 right now and have 6 ready whenever I feel like it, but especially the structure of these games would be ideal to play in handheld mode. While the main story is the most important, the game has so many side activities which are great for short bursts of play. Plus it would be nice to have Kiryu and the gang portable.
Too bad. Got into the series late after initially brushing it off as a bad shenmue clone, but after playing the remake of the first I dusted off my ps3 and revisited the entire series. The story is that good!
@Aozz101x Can they really use the Wii U as an excuse? I mean it is the Wii U.....
@jswhitfield8 That is a bad comparison, seeing as Yakuza was on the Wii U in Japan. Second, it's this site job to put out info about the gaming world no matter how small or irrelevant you think it is.
@Angelic_Lapras_King I agree. I think it's a poor excuse for that reason, since Switch is doing quite well.
Welp that’s disappointing. Especially with the series being ported to PS4. I have everything except of the end but I would gladly rebuy the whole series on Switch. But never say never. Perhaps once they wrap up the new one they are working on.
What a missed opportunity by Sega. I think there is a big enough audience to justify testing the waters with a Yakuza port (unless Shenmue 1 & 2 bombed on the Switch). Sega should just do a worldwide Switch release of the Wii U port of Yakuza 1 & 2. That can't be that difficult or expensive. Release it digital only for all I care.
It's sad that their are still developers out their who think Nintendo is "only for teh childrenz" and won't port otherwise feasible games onto the platform for that reason alone.
@KingdomHeartsFan I'd love to have the Shenmue series. I mean I have thought about this game obsessively since playing the second one through like 17-18 years ago. I pass this lumber yard on my way to work and when I see a forklift, I think of Ryo Hazuki and Shenmue. Sure the voice actor was horrible, but the game was incredible.
A North American release for Yakuza on Switch would be well received!
This is a crying shame, but the poor sales from the Wii U versions of the series give you all the information you need to know. Sure, I bet the Nintendo Switch versions, or different Yakuza would probably sell better on Nintendo Switch, but I doubt they would be a big seller. Even on a popular system like Nintendo's current console. I sure as heck would love the games though. I have never played a Yakuza game.
@BANJO
The Yakuza games contain full Virtua Fighter titles with online play in them. THAT'S how good they are.
I`d buy Yakuza on Switch day one. On the PS4, on the other hand, I already have other games to play first, and others I`ll buy before I buy Yakuza, so the joke`s on you, little Sega. I`ll end up buying the whole lot for a few bucks in a year or two. Good for me, I guess.
I would have loved Yakuza 1&2 HD on the game-starving Wii U launch period when it released in Japan, but it was regionlocked.
I've never played a Yakuza game and it doesn't seem like that'll change.
Very funny and ironic that nintendo fanboys are angry that a game made by a (alleged) Sony fanboy is not coming to the switch. Just plain stupid.. and ironic.
In other news, cyberpunk 2077 is definitely probably most likely certainly not coming to switch as far as "can be said" at this moment in time.
Sounds like people are beating a dead horse. Hasn't Sega refused to do this several times now?
Basically they are still blaming it on underwhelming WiiU sales (which shouldn't be surprising as almost every major 3rd party release was a flop) and can't be bothered to give a it a shot because it would be too troublesome to them. Well it's disappointing but not everything has to be on Switch after all
@diwdiws Okay don't start a stupid console war b*llsh*t now, it's beating a dead horse and doesn't bring anything to the discussion
@RushDawg I did not know that. In which case I wish it was coming to the Switch.
@SetupDisk Kazuma is scum?
@BANJO Yakuza 6 has a full version of Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown (amongst other SEGA arcade games), complete with online play.
Yakuza 5 and Yakuza Kiwami 2 both have full versions of Virtua Fighter 2 with online play.
The Switch is really missing out by not getting Yakuza games.
@KingdomHeartsFan Yes, I'd like to play them again but I don't want to buy another system. I just like the Switch...I mean if I scored a ps4 dirt cheap, i mean dirt cheap, I would go ahead just to play all 3.... I would love to see the series on the Switch.
@diwdiws
They also commented on what they wanted & DID care about. So while they don't care about yakuza, they care about other properties from sega. It is possible to NOT care & be able to comment. As it wasn't just the annoying I don't are on it's own. Heck, I don't care about yakuza either. Never did actually. So don't care if it EVER hit the Switch or ANY other platform again, but that doesn't stop me or others from expressing what we might want from them though (like maybe a new Panzeer Dragoon or maybe even Space Harrier).
@GrailUK bad news,conker’s bad fur day isn’t coming to switch either
They'll regret it lol
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