RGG Studios hosted the RGG Summit and RGG Direct 2025 on Wednesday, September 24, unveiling their latest title, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties. Read on to learn more about the game, the upcoming live-action drama, and everything else announced.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Releases on February 12, 2026
Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties to Be Released as a Single Bundle
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio recently livestreamed its RGG Summit 2025, followed by the RGG Direct 2025 on Wednesday, September 24. Both events highlighted the same key announcements, though the Direct provided a more detailed look at each reveal. Here’s a full breakdown of everything that was announced.
The first major announcement from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio was the reveal of their second Yakuza 20th anniversary commemorative project, following Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut. The studio officially announced Yakuza Kiwami 3, a full remake of the 2009 title Yakuza 3. Rebuilt from the ground up, the remake will follow Kazuma Kiryu’s journey across Okinawa and Kamurocho as he fights to protect his orphanage, The Morning Glory. The game features brand-new cutscenes, re-recorded voice lines, overhauled visuals and animations, and new gameplay elements.
In addition, the release will include a completely separate game titled "Dark Ties." This side story places players in the role of Yoshitake Mine, one of Kiryu’s most memorable rivals and the main antagonist of Yakuza 3. Dark Ties can be played either before or after Yakuza Kiwami 3.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties are scheduled to launch in one package on February 12, 2026, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
Okinawa and Kamurcho Use the Latest Dragon Engine
According to Yakuza Kiwami 3 director Horii, the remake will retain the core story of the original Yakuza 3 while introducing several enhancements. These include newly recorded voice lines, additional scenes, and cutscenes that have been reworked with different developments and outcomes. Expanded narrative sequences will also provide further context for characters such as Kiryu, Rikiya, Mine, Kanda, and Hamazaki.
Developed on Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s latest engine, the remake expands the Ryukyu district in Okinawa with new areas to explore, along with updated visuals. The game will also feature both classic and all-new minigames and side content, including karaoke with additional songs, flip phone customization with stickers, and more substories.
Improved Combat System
One of the biggest criticisms of the original Yakuza 3 was its combat, with many players noting that enemies would frequently block attacks and disrupt the flow of battles. With Yakuza Kiwami 3, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has significantly overhauled the combat system and introduced two distinct fighting styles.
The first is the refined "Dragon of Dojima Kiwami style," which now allows for smoother combat, the use of environmental objects like signs, and a wider variety of Heat Actions. Alongside it is an all-new "Ryukyu style," inspired by Okinawan martial arts. This style incorporates the use of traditional Ryukyu weapons, with eight confirmed so far, including nunchaku and kobudō. Players can freely switch between them during combat.
In addition, a new feature called "Dragon Boost" empowers Kiryu with heightened strength and unlocks his ultimate technique, the "Dragon Finisher," his most powerful attack to date.
Life at Morning Glory
A new feature, Life at Morning Glory, allows players to experience Kiryu’s daily routine at the Morning Glory orphanage. Activities include cooking—starting with curry before unlocking additional recipes—alongside vegetable harvesting, sewing, and bug catching. These tasks are designed to strengthen Kiryu’s bonds with the children and highlight his role as a guardian.
Each child will also have individual stories presented through Family Time, which showcase their personal growth and development within the orphanage.
Legendary Baddie Bad Boy Dragon
One of the newly introduced side activities is Legendary Baddie: Bad Boy Dragon, a team-based mode where Kiryu joins forces with the Ryukyu Gal gang to defend Okinawa. Players can recruit and edit team members, purchase and customize gear and bikes, and take part in large-scale strategic team battles called turf wars.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 Dark Ties is Mine’s Origin Story
Dark Ties, the standalone story included with Yakuza Kiwami 3, will explore the origins of Yoshitake Mine, chairman of the Hakuho Clan and a lieutenant of the Tojo Clan. Originally a poor orphan, Mine worked in IT to support himself before joining the yakuza in search of unbreakable bonds. His sharp intellect and efficiency quickly earned him recognition, leading him to swear loyalty to Daigo Dojima and rise to the position of clan treasurer.
In this story, players will step into Mine’s perspective, encountering new characters such as Shinpei Ikari and Kanda, while gaining deeper insight into his past and motivations.
Dark Ties Features New Combat System for Mine
In Dark Ties, players take control of Mine within the familiar action-adventure framework of the series, but with a new combat system designed specifically for him. Mine’s style emphasizes a more stylish, boxing-inspired approach, complete with unique moves that set him apart from Kiryu.
One of his signature abilities is "Dark Awakening," a special technique in which Mine steps on an enemy and unleashes his feral side. Activating this ability alters his animations and enhances his combat style, giving players a distinct way to experience battles from his perspective.
Exclusive Substories and Side Activities
In Dark Ties, players will be able to control Mine in Kamurocho, experiencing the city through his perspective. Unlike Kiryu’s more heroic characterization, Mine’s story emphasizes morally complex decisions, presenting him as more of an anti-hero. Exclusive substories will further explore his character, offering a deeper look into his motivations and personality.
The expansion also introduces new side activities and minigames tailored to Mine. These include "Kanda Damage Control," a set of missions where Mine works to rebuild Kanda’s reputation; "Hell’s Arena," a coliseum-style battleground that features combat under specific conditions; and "Survival Hell," a survival mode where players use weapons and items to evade waves of hunters and earn cash rewards.
Other RGG Summit and Direct 2025 Announcements
Yakuza Kiwami and Kiwami 2 Releases on November 13, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch 2
Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 are scheduled to release on the Nintendo Switch 2 on November 13, 2025. The titles will also launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam with additional language support on December 8, 2025.
Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut Releases December 8, 2025, for PS5, Xbox Series XIS, and Steam
Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, which originally launched on the Nintendo Switch 2, will also be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam on December 8, 2025.
Yakuza Live Action Production is in Development
A live-action Yakuza adaptation featuring Kazuma Kiryu is currently in development in collaboration with the production team behind Nihon Touitsu. According to producer Masayoshi Yokoyama, the target release date is December 8, 2025. The project is set before the events of Yakuza 3 and will be based on the story of the first Yakuza game. It is being designed to appeal to both longtime fans and newcomers, with plans for multilingual localization.
The cast includes Yasukaze Motomiya as Kazuma Kiryu, Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi as Goro Majima, Kazuhiro Nakaya as Akira Nishikiyama, and Kenji Matsuda as Makoto Date. Notably, each actor has ties to the franchise: Motomiya portrayed Shishido in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Yamaguchi played Tsuruno in the same title, Nakaya voices both Ichiban Kasuga and Nishikiyama in the mainline games, and Matsuda voiced Jason Rich in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
RGG Shares Behind-the-Scenes Look at STRANGER THAN HEAVEN’s Development
The final announcement at the RGG Summit 2025 and RGG Direct 2025 was a behind-the-scenes video of Stranger Than Heaven, currently in development, accompanied by one of the game’s featured songs.
Source:
RGG SUMMIT 2025
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