‘Underground’ Yakuza Series For Switch Says Producer

In a new one GameSpot Interview, yakuza Ryu Ga Gotoku Executive Producer and Studio Head Masayoshi Yokoyama expressed hesitation in bringing the popular franchise to Nintendo Switch. He explained that the console’s family-friendly image in Japan doesn’t match the franchise’s mix of combat, crime, and “underground feel.”

While there was a time when the open world action of the yakuza games was limited to PlayStation consoles and not released regularly in the West, things are different today. Over the past decade, the series has become more mainstream, appearing more frequently on PC and non-PlayStation consoles. And of course, many fans want the series to make its way to Nintendo’s Switch. But that may not happen anytime soon as the console appears to be getting noticed in Japan.

Speak with GameSpotYokoyama explained that he wasn’t sure if he should bring it yakuza to Switch and asked, “Do we want to place a title like this where we’re going to go around and start a battle with the world and do all of this yakuza Stuff, on a Switch?” Accordingly GameSpot, Yokoyama further explained that the Switch is seen as a more family-friendly system in Japan. It’s a somewhat bizarre answer considering how many mature games have been released on the Switch over the years, including things like this Bayonetta 2, Hotline Miami, and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

While trying to elaborate further, Yokoyama discussed the “underground feeling” that the yakuza Games have and how that appears to be part of the reason why it might not be ported to the Switch any time soon.

“We still think of ourselves as people of the night world, don’t we?” Yokoyama said. “We don’t want to walk around with everyone else all day. As for us, it shows that kind of underground feel. I think the underground feeling is what we want to do.”

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Continue reading: As yakuzas The city changes from game to game

yakuza has appeared on a Nintendo console before. Back in 2013, Yakuza 1 and 2 were ported to the Wii U. But at the time it was described then-yakuza Producer Toshihiro Nagoshi as an “experiment” to see if there is an audience for the games on Wii U. didn’t go well…

So now, in 2022, it’s not surprising to hear that the RGG staff aren’t interested in porting yakuza to the switch. But I can imagine that fans of games with an “underground feel” who also like to play on the switch will be quite sad about this news.

A bunch now yakuza Games have recently been announced including a remake of Like a dragon: Ishin built in Unreal 4 and a new yakuza spin off. Also, we saw the first trailer for the previously teased one Like a dragon 8 also known Yakuza 8. Will any of these see a Switch release one day? Doesn’t seem so.