Nintendo has shared its latest Creator’s Voice video for Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, in which Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio director and executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama discusses the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 game.
You can hear him talk about the development of what is described as an “extreme remake” of Yakuza 3. That covers the game’s reimagined street brawl combat gameplay, newly added scenes that deliver more depth and emotion to the story, and new and enhanced side experiences to further immerse players in the world.
Developed as “a two-in-one experience created under the concept, ‘A legend is reborn and a new legacy begins,'” the project has looked to celebrate the Like a Dragon and Yakuza series’ 20th anniversary.
Yakuza 3 has received a full remake and is bundled with Dark Ties, “a new, never-before-seen story for one of Yakuza 3’s antagonists, Yoshitaka Mine, included as a separate game.” Rebuilt from the ground up, the developer has evolved several aspects with new cutscenes and side experiences to make Okinawa and Kamurocho “even more exciting and entertaining.” Those additions include:
- Ultimate Brawler Experience: Players can now swap between two powerful fighting styles: Dragon of Dojima: Kiwami, a brawling action style overflowing with power and an unmatched sense of dominance featuring the largest number of attack techniques in the series’ history; and the new Ryukyu Style, a thrilling and technical weapon-based action style inspired by traditional Okinawan weapon arts that allows players to unleash a wide variety of combo techniques using eight different types of weapons. Both battle styles combine for the ultimate brawler experience!
- Legendary Baddie, Bad Boy Dragon: a team battle mode where players aim to build the ultimate biker gang and fight alongside the Ryukyu Gal Gang, a group of lady bikers out to protect the streets of Okinawa.
Dark Ties depicts the events leading up to Yakuza 3, shedding light on Mine’s origins, his search for unwavering bonds, and the path that led him, once the head of a venture company, to be immersed in the world of the yakuza. In this separate game, you can expect:
- All-New Experience: For the first time ever, fans can play as Mine. Battle foes with a stylish yet refined combat system centred around boxing, explore the streets of Kamurocho, and see the usually cool-headed Mine cut loose and have fun.
- Dark Awakening mode: Unleash Mine’s inner darkness in battle, triggering a rampage with ruthless, relentless combos, and finishing foes with a decisive strike infused with the power of darkness.
- Hell’s Arena: An underground fight club where players can enjoy fights under a variety of unique rules. In Survival Hell mode, players will fight their way through an underground dungeon, enduring relentless assaults from numerous hunters, to reach the goal and clear the challenge.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties will be released at retail and digitally on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch 2 worldwide on 12 February 2026.
