A couple of weeks ago we reported that
Yakuza games 3, 4, and 5 were going to be releasing on the PlayStation 4 within this year and 2019. These games will not be remakes like the
Yakuza Kiwami series, but the very same versions of the titles released on the PlayStation 3.
The report comes from
Siliconera who have translated an interview with
Yakuza series creator, Toshihiro Nagoshi, in which he mentions the reasons behind the decision of porting
Yakuza 3,
4, and
5 to the PlayStation 4, as well as the decision to not make them part of the
Yakuza Kiwami series of remakes.
"
There were several reasons [for doing the remasters], but how should I put it… the top reason was because they now sell overseas, such as Asia and in America and Europe where Yakuza 6 is actually hot at the moment", Nagoshi explained. The reason is because the series itself trickled when it came to sales overseas, as opposed to selling loads in Japan, but the game is now selling almost as well as it does in Japan.
In regards to these ports not being remakes like the Kiwami series, Nagoshi actually has a pretty good explanation as to why opt out of a Kiwami-type of remake—even though Sega actually wanted Kiwami versions of the games. According to Nagoshi, the reason for
Yakuza Kiwami and
Yakuza Kiwami 2 existing, is because the jump from the PlayStation 2—the console
Yakuza and
Yakuza 2 originally came out for—to the PlayStation 4 was far greater, in terms of hardware, than the small leap from the PlayStation 3. He also mentions that by deciding to make
Yakuza Kiwami versions of
Yakuza games 3, 4, and 5, they would've felt compelled to add extra content in order to make it worth its value, so they opted out of it because it also required too much time.
Mr. Nagoshi does have a very valid point, although some fans of the series may feel a bit disappointed that the games will not be getting the
Kiwami treatment. No matter the case, it is still great that they have at least considered to bring the games to the PlayStation 4 in the first place, as now fans will have all 6
Yakuza games available in one console.