Why Yakuza Kiwami’s Switch arrival is a big deal

Congratulations, Yakuza fans! The series is finally coming to Nintendo Switch. During the recent Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, Yakuza (RGG) Studio announced that Yakuza Kiwami is coming to Nintendo Switch. Every Nintendo Console from 1980 to Present: A Complete History October 24th.

Yakuza Kiwami is a beloved game. A remake of the original Yakuza game was released in 2016, modernizing the gameplay and bringing it on par with its predecessor, Yakuza 0. It’s a natural entry point for new fans who have never played the Yakuza series before. It’s also a beloved game in the series that fans have been waiting to see come to the Nintendo Switch. Plus, with Prime Video’s Like a Dragon: Yakuza series debuting on the same day, the timing couldn’t be better for this beloved game to arrive. Here’s why this port is so important:

Yakuza Kiwami is a great introduction for Nintendo Switch fans

Players will be able to learn about Kazuma Kiryu and the location of Kabukicho.

The original Yakuza was released in 2006 and introduced players to protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. The game follows Kiryu in an open-world action game set in Kabukicho. Kiryu’s journey continues across multiple sequels, and he returns to the city in subsequent games in a realistic recreation of Tokyo’s Kabukicho district, which also feels like home. Yakuza Kiwami was released on the game’s 10th anniversary.

The remake kept the basic story and setting, but modernized the game, introducing no less than four different fighting styles, and added the “Majima Everywhere” gameplay system, supporting new encounters between Kiryu and his rival Goro Majima. While many fans consider the prequel, Yakuza 0, their introduction to the current franchise, Yakuza Kiwami is a great way to familiarize yourself with this long-running series.

The door to the Yakuza game is now open

Yakuza Kiwami being ported to Switch means there could be more titles coming in the future.

Sega

As mentioned above, the Yakuza series has various titles and spin-offs developed by RGG Studio. Hopefully, the port of Yakuza Kiwami will not be a one-off for Sega and the developers. Instead, while we wait for news of the Nintendo Switch successor, we would be happy if RGG Studio promises to include Yakuza Kiwami 2, Yakuza Remaster Collection, and all subsequent games in the new Like a Dragon series.

Similarly, Sega and RGG Studios began releasing a remake of Kiwami on Xbox in 2020. The consecutive release of the game was then concluded with the release of the Yakuza Remaster Collection in 2021. Remastered versions of Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4, and Yakuza 5 have made their way onto the platform for players to enjoy. Now, Xbox fans can enjoy the new title Yakuza Ishin, which is on par with its PlayStation counterpart.

Nintendo Switch version of “Ryu ga Gotoku Kiwami” will be released simultaneously with the Prime Video series

Queue up the Switch port and Prime Video series on October 24th and enjoy complete Yakuza bliss.

Sega

Sega and RGG Studios have neatly tied the Nintendo Switch version of Yakuza Kiwami to the Yakuza: Four Heavenly Kings series on Prime Video, both of which are due to be released on October 24th. This gives fans a great excuse to take the day off, stretch their legs, and just enjoy Yakuza all day.

There have been successful examples of this kind of release coordination before – PlayStation released The Last of Us Part 1 Remake after the series aired on HBO, for example, and Bethesda also leveraged its Fallout games after the Prime Video series arrived – and Sega was smart to release the Switch version at roughly the same time that audiences were watching the live-action version on Amazon’s streaming service.