Fans of the Yakuza franchise will be pleased to know that Sega has announced Yakuza Remastered Collection for the PlayStation 4, which contains remastered versions of Yakuza 3, 4, and 5.
Known as Ryū ga Gotoku in Japan, Yakuza is an action-adventure beat 'em up both developed and published by Sega. It follows the life of Kazuma Kiryu, a member of the Tojo clan. Initially, Toshihiro Nagoshi, the game's creator, had trouble getting any of the major console manufacturers to accept his game. Eventually, Sony showed interested in the series and let Nagoshi release the first title on the PlayStation 2 in 2006.
The most recent installment in the mainline series, Yakuza Kiwami 2, was praised by critics and would go on to become the best-selling game ins of Japan for a week, selling 131,931 units during that time. Now, with the next installment of the series less than a year away, Sega has announced Yakuza Remastered Collection for the PS 4.
With the recent demand for remastered games, it's not all that surprising that Sega has decided to go this route. It will not only help to generate new revenue for the company, but also give new fans of the series a chance to experience some of the older titles in greater detail.
According to Sega's Director of Production Sam Mullen, each game within the collection will be released at a separate time digitally, but a physical copy will be made available later once all of the games have been completed. Further details can be found at the PlayStation Store, where it's revealed that the collection will contain remastered versions of Yakuza 3, 4, and 5.
Additionally, according to Mullen, the games will have improved localization and include all content, giving those in North America the ability to experience the games in full for the first time. The collection will cost $59.99 and, while Yakuza 3 Remastered is available for play immediately, Yakuza 4 won't be available until October 29 and Yakuza 5 is coming out on February 11,, 2020.
While the price is a bit steep, it's good to see that Sega actively trying to create new interest in the series. The remastered collection will allow fans of the series to finally experience the games the way that Nagoshi intended.
It's a bit strange to see a company offer a collection in this way given that two of the games aren't available yet, but it could create a lot of anticipation for the next Yakuza title.