Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has announced that the original version of Yakuza 3 currently available through Steam and other digital platforms—Yakuza 3 Remastered—will not be available to purchase anymore once the remake Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties comes out on February 12. In a social media post, the studio has noted that those who already own Yakuza 3 Remastered will still be able to download and play it.
For newcomers to the franchise that might decide that they want to play Yakuza 3 Remastered after the release of Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties, however, the only way to purchase it will be through the Yakuza Complete Series bundle.
“We place great importance on staying faithful to our creative direction, and we hope you will enjoy the completely new experiences we have envisioned for Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties,” wrote the studio on social media.
“Those who already own Yakuza 3 Remastered will still be able to continue playing it. For those new to the series who wish to experience the original version, it will be available with purchase of the Yakuza Complete Series bundle.”
It is worth noting that Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties will be the first time in the franchise’s history that a remake will be released while the Remastered version of the original is still available. The other two remakes in the series—Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2—never had their original versions available on modern platforms, with both Yakuza and Yakuza 2 still being stranded on their original release platform—the PS2.
Leading up to its release next month, Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties will also be getting free demo. However, publisher Sega hasn’t yet confirmed when this demo will be coming out, or what platforms it will be available on.
The story of Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties will pick up a few months after the events of Yakuza Kiwami 2. After having sorted things out with the Tojo Clan in the previous entry, protagonist Kiryu has decided to live a quiet life where he runs an orphanage in Okinawa alongside his adoptive daughter Haruka. However, his past ties to organized crime are coming back to haunt him, with Kiryu ultimately forced to return to Kamurocho for the sake of his orphanage.
While the story of the remake won’t see many changes from the original Yakuza 3, the Kiwami release is slated to feature quite a bit of additional content, including new substories, activities, and even an expansion of the kinds of things you can do at the orphanage. The title will be coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Alongside the base game, the upcoming release will also include an expansion on the story of Yoshitaki Mine through Dark Ties.
For more details about some of the new activities and karaoke songs, check out the recent overview as revealed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Also check out details about the Morning Glory orphanage, and the Dark Ties-exclusive set of content dubbed Kanda Damage Control and its associated activities.