When Yakuza 3 was brought West for the PlayStation 3 back in 2010, SEGA infamously cut a sizeable amount of side content from the game. This content, which was available in the Japanese version of the release, was removed because SEGA basically didn't think it would gel with Western audiences -- or at least, that was the publisher's explanation. The cut content included over 20 side quests, several minigames, and a whole hostess club management system.
Fortunately, that cut content is now restored in the Western release of Yakuza 3 Remastered, which just hit PlayStation 4 digitally. As Yakuza content creator and series expert devilleon7 confirms in this new video, everything seems to be intact barring a couple of side missions that were also removed in the Japanese remaster -- supposedly because they hadn't aged all that well.
Have you picked up Yakuza 3 on PS4? Have you come across any of the previously cut content? Build your heat gauge in the comments section below.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 19
"everything seems to be intact barring a couple of side missions that were also removed in the Japanese remaster — supposedly because they hadn't aged all that well."
What on Earth does that mean?
Either way, all anyone can ask for is content parity with the Japanese release, so good on Sega!
@Ralizah I don't know the full story, but I believe they involved LBGTQ character(s) and they weren't what many would call "respectful". So supposedly SEGA removed them.
@Ralizah In an interview they mention that in today's political climate some things don't fit very well. They gave an instance where they had to remove a substory where a man identified as a woman and fell in love with Kiryu, but Kiryu wasn't into him so he had to escape the man.
Sure glad Sega notices the western support for the Yakuza games. If the series didn't get the support it receives, I doubt we would have even got these remasters.
Maybe I'm thinking too pessimistic?
@sabaki08 I also heard that Nagoshi, the series producer, has since become friends with a trans individual in the years since and personally felt uncomfortable about the the sidestory in retrospect.
@sabaki08 I remember those missions. I do remember chuckling at that mainly because super serious kiryu who eats yakuza for breakfast was running from a civilian. Definitely a product of the time and honestly not a big loss to the game
@Orpheus79V @sabaki08 @ShogunRok Gotcha. "Hasn't aged well" is weasel talk, though. If they mean to say "we consider this old quest discriminatory and don't want it in the game anymore," I wish they'd just come out and say that.
For me this is the best news this year.
@Ralizah I don't mind that. Last thing I want to see is this franchise being trashed by a wave of SJWs. They dodged bullets before they were fired. This could also be the reason why they phrased their statement the way they did.
@Deadlyblack you have reason to be......it's a long time coming.
@Danloaded I'm new to the series. I only beaten Yakuza 0 a few weeks ago and now I'm grinding the business. Can't wait to see where the story goes from here. Not a great loss, but personally I don't think anything like that has the capability of offending anyone. At least it shouldn't. But you're right. Different times.
@Number09 Here's hope the two games set in the Edo era will see localization as well. I only now found out about them. I'm especially sad about the two PSP games, which look pretty solid, but were never localized.
@sabaki08 To be honest, there’s definitely worse series out there for dodgy content. While Yakuza 0 does contain the telephone club and the like, it’s included to highlight the seediness of the 80s. At no point is it presented as a good thing, in fact Mr Libido (or ‘walking erection’) creeps out Kiryu an awful lot. I think it’s a good thing the quests were removed, it avoids any bad press for a series that’s a lot more thoughtful than it looks.
@nessisonett I agree with you. It needs to be promoted for what does best. Such good writing. I love everything about the characters and the world just from playing 0. I'm glad I played that one first.
@sabaki08 I hope so when it's edited I think is it the West that is cutting the game..... to me that's a kop out it makes me feel like I have been cheated out of a Game.
Yakusa 5 was really cheap on ps3 in the summer sale and I was tempted glad I waited I can get 3 4 and 5 for a price I would gladly pay for just 1 of them.Great great games well written and plenty to do.
To be clear, with the exception of licensed music tracks, any content cuts / changes in Yakuza 3 PS4 compared to the Japanese PS3 original (& there are a few) originate with Ryū ga Gotoku 3 PS4 & were driven by local market or legal / licensing / contract considerations.
Imagine my HUGE disappointment when I go to the PS STORE and I see the trailer for this...and is actually a REMASTER and not like Kiwami at all...
So basically it’s censored no matter what over here?
@ralizah They’re trying to censor it without censorship backlash. They’re trying to have their cake and eat it too.
Apparently it involves a side quest line with a trans, Kiryu mentions this person as "it" and "what the hell are you". That's why they cut it out. I'm fine with it either way, doesn't really fit Kiryu's character imo anyway.
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