Home
Breaking News

Yakuza Kiwami 3 Announced: Rebuilt for Modern Platforms

Last Updated: October 24, 2025

Yakuza Kiwami 3 key visual featuring Kazuma Kiryu in Okinawa.

In a move that electrified fans worldwide, developer RGG Studio and publisher Sega have officially announced Yakuza Kiwami 3 during their highly anticipated RGG Summit livestream. This ground-up remake of the 2009 PlayStation 3 classic, Yakuza 3, will bring Kazuma Kiryu's pivotal Okinawan chapter into the modern era using the powerful Dragon Engine.

Following the acclaimed formula of Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2, this project is far more than a simple remaster. The announcement confirmed a complete visual overhaul, modernized combat, and an expanded narrative featuring new story beats. In a major surprise, the studio also revealed that the long-speculated "expansion" content will be a standalone side-story game titled "Dark Ties," focusing on the complex antagonist Yoshitaka Mine.

Return to Okinawa: A True Kiwami Treatment

Yakuza 3 holds a unique and crucial place in the series' timeline. It marks a significant tonal shift, moving protagonist Kazuma Kiryu from the neon-drenched power struggles of Tokyo to the sunny, laid-back shores of Okinawa, where he runs the Morning Glory Orphanage. While the original was praised for its heartfelt story, its combat and mechanics are often considered dated by modern standards. Yakuza Kiwami 3 aims to rectify this completely.

RGG Studio is rebuilding the game from scratch in the Dragon Engine, which has powered the franchise since Yakuza 6. Players can expect:

  • A Complete Visual Overhaul: Photorealistic character models, vastly improved environments, and modern lighting effects will make both the familiar streets of Kamurocho and the beautiful Okinawan coastline more immersive than ever.
  • Modernized Combat: The notoriously block-heavy combat of the original is being replaced with the fluid, physics-based brawling system from recent action-focused titles, promising a fundamentally more satisfying gameplay experience.
  • Expanded Narrative: New cutscenes and story elements will be woven into the original plot, following the Kiwami tradition of filling in narrative gaps and better connecting the game to the overarching series lore.
  • Quality-of-Life Improvements: A streamlined inventory system, improved map functionality, and completely re-recorded Japanese voice lines are all confirmed, creating a much smoother player experience.

A Villain's Story: The 'Dark Ties' Expansion Revealed

The most exciting revelation was the confirmation of the companion game, Dark Ties. This resolves years of fan speculation about what form a Kiwami 3 expansion might take. Modeled after the "Majima Saga" from Yakuza Kiwami 2, this new, playable story will center on Yoshitaka Mine, the main antagonist of Yakuza 3.

This new chapter will explore Mine's backstory and his meteoric rise within the Tojo Clan, providing crucial context for his motivations and actions in the main game. For fans, Mine remains one of the most compelling and tragic villains in the series, and the opportunity to experience events from his perspective is a massive value proposition. This demonstrates RGG Studio's commitment to making the Kiwami releases the definitive way to experience these classic stories, enriching them for longtime fans and new players alike.

Rebuilding a Classic on the Dragon Engine

The technological leap from the original 2009 engine to the modern Dragon Engine cannot be overstated. The original game featured segmented areas with loading screens and stiffer animations, all of which will be eliminated in this remake.

The Dragon Engine will provide a seamless transition from exploration to combat, a hallmark of the modern series. The world will feel more dynamic and interactive, with the enhanced physics allowing for more chaotic and satisfying brawls. Kiryu can use the environment to his advantage in spectacular new ways, turning every street fight into a cinematic event. This technical overhaul will also extend to the game's beloved minigames and side activities. From Golf and Fishing in Okinawa to the batting cages and hostess clubs of Kamurocho, every aspect of the game world will benefit from the new technology, feeling more polished and engaging than ever.

The Future of the Dragon's Legacy

The announcement of Yakuza Kiwami 3 solidifies RGG Studio's strategy of preserving its legacy while simultaneously pushing the franchise forward with the turn-based Like a Dragon series. By remaking these classic titles, the studio ensures the entire Kazuma Kiryu saga remains accessible and enjoyable for a modern audience on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

This reveal immediately begs the question of what's next, with fans already anticipating that Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 will eventually receive the same definitive treatment. For now, the focus is squarely on Kiryu's Okinawan adventure and Mine's tragic backstory. Yakuza Kiwami 3 is poised to be a crucial release, re-introducing a beloved story with the gameplay polish and visual fidelity that define one of gaming's most consistent developers. While a firm release date is still forthcoming, the gaming community is eager to return to the sunny shores of Morning Glory Orphanage once more.