Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties hits PS5 Feb 12 – what’s changing and why

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The long-running Yakuza / Like a Dragon saga is entering a milestone year with a new remake on the horizon. Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties launches on PlayStation 5 on February 12, 2025, aligning with the franchise’s 20th anniversary. To mark the moment, Executive Producer Masayoshi Yokoyama, Chief Director Ryosuke Horii, and Chief Producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto reflected on the series’ evolution, production pace, and what to expect from Kiwami 3. Their comments point to a modernized team, an “extreme” overhaul of Yakuza 3, and a continued focus on character-driven drama paired with irreverent side content.

Release timing and platform

RGG Studio confirmed a February 12, 2025 release date for Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties on PS5. The package is positioned as a comprehensive remake of Yakuza 3 with new content, while maintaining the original story’s core.

20th anniversary – how the studio is marking it

Yokoyama describes the anniversary as a reflective “coming of age,” anchored by a yearlong series of activities in Japan.

“We have various events and special footage planned… and hope to continue celebrating with fans until December 7 of next year,” said Masayoshi Yokoyama.

Among the initiatives is “The Four Ceremonies of Life Exhibition” in Tokyo, with additional rollouts planned beyond December 8.

Development philosophy and pace

The team credits its rapid, consistent shipping cadence to a mature production pipeline built over many entries.

“Our team takes pride in refining quality while eliminating unnecessary tasks,” said Chief Producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto, noting a balance of scale, time, and cost.

Yokoyama adds that the studio doesn’t chase trends, but its outlook has shifted as the team diversified and global media became ubiquitous. More than 10% of the team now hails from abroad, and the gender ratio is nearly 50:50 – a sharp contrast to the studio’s early days.

Modern settings, shifting leads, and design challenges

The mainline games often mirror their year of release, which forces the team to keep pace with real-world changes in districts like Kamurocho. Sakamoto calls this research intensive, while noting that spin-offs allow more creative freedom with fewer constraints.

On the handover from Kazuma Kiryu to Ichiban Kasuga in Yakuza 7, Sakamoto says the team felt confident players would connect with the new lead by story’s end, emphasizing the series’ character-first approach.

How Like a Dragon’s minigames take shape

Side activities stem from each entry’s theme and setting, designed to deepen immersion rather than sit apart from the narrative.

• Theme-driven design – Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s “rising to the top” led to the Business Management system.
• Setting-led ideas – Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s Hawaii inspired Dondoko Island, a resort-building mode.
• Signature humor remains a core pillar, from shareholder showdowns to tongue-in-cheek island antics.

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Horii says teams iterate weekly from a clear concept brief to preserve the series’ tone.

Club Sega and retro picks

Retro arcade selections are overseen by Technical Director Itō. Choices must clear technical and licensing hurdles, so the lineup favors titles the team respects and can reasonably port within project limits.

What’s new in Yakuza Kiwami 3

Horii frames Kiwami 3 as an expansive rework that goes well beyond a visual upgrade. The story’s backbone remains, but the experience has been reshaped.

• Added content – new cutscenes, more characters, and additional voice lines.
• Major side content – “Life at Morning Glory” and “Legendary Baddie, Bad Boy Dragon”.
• Reworked flow – overall design, pacing, and structure have been rebuilt.
• Onboarding – a story recap helps newcomers jump in without prior series knowledge.

“It’s a title that truly stands on its own as a brand-new release from RGG Studio,” said Ryosuke Horii.

For those with time to catch up, Horii notes that playing Yakuza 0, Kiwami 1, and Kiwami 2 can deepen character connections before Kiwami 3.

Future remakes – case by case

RGG Studio has not committed to additional remakes beyond Kiwami 3.

“We haven’t made any concrete decisions about remaking additional past titles… Our philosophy, ‘do whatever it takes to make it happen,’ will continue to guide us,” said Yokoyama.

Official videos

Developer talks and trailers shared alongside the announcement:

Final takeaway – what this means for players

February 12, 2025 brings a rebuilt Yakuza 3 that layers new scenes, voice work, and side modes on top of the original arc – a package aimed at both returnees and first-timers. With the studio reflecting on two decades of change and doubling down on character-driven drama plus playful side content, Kiwami 3 looks set to define how RGG Studio approaches legacy updates from here.