Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio revealed Yakuza Kiwami 3 last week during its latest Summit, which was expected, given that it accidentally appeared on the official website. However, it also revealed Dark Ties, a Gaiden-style side story starring Yoshitaka Mine, the antagonist of Yakuza 3.
Alongside new missions and play spots, the side story focuses on Mine’s entry into the criminal underworld, but it wasn’t supposed to be playable. Director Ryosuke Horii told Famitsu (translation via Automaton Media) that Dark Ties was supposed to be “something that could be viewed like a video.”
The team decided on a playable experience since they felt it was “the best way to tell his story.” Series producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto also noted that Mine ranks as one of the top five most popular characters among fans. If ever there was a time to make him playable, it would have to be Dark Ties.
Horii also contrasts Mine’s story as “cooler and more stylish” compared to Yakuza 3. “In Dark Ties, Mine starts as a businessman, but we depict him becoming increasingly involved in the world of the yakuza, which is a first for us. Unlike Kiryu and the others, Mine is not a character with a strong sense of justice. Even in the sub-stories, he doesn’t interact with people in a way that is based on the idea of ‘defeating evil and protecting the weak.'”
We’ll see how that pans out when Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties launches on February 12th, 2026, for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 as a two-in-one bundle. You can check out some combat gameplay for the former here, which includes the revamped Dragon of Dojima Style.
