The Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama has published a video which describes upcoming Yakuza series developments two upcoming projects including Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties. The official Nintendo account shared a video which shows creator details yet it became the main point of a significant online dispute which gamers used to argue about content evaluation and censorship matters along with gaming community ethical issues.
The moment should have created excitement because of its significance to the Yakuza series. The main executive of Yakuza and Like a Dragon franchise sits together with others to conduct business. Players who have spent time battling Kamurocho enemies using bicycles will find the content to be useful. The ‘Creator’s Voice’ series from Nintendo presents this video as their updated version of ‘Ask the Developer’ which reveals internal movie production process information. Some gamers were totally here for it saying stuff like “This video feels like a must-watch for anyone who’s been waiting for the next big step for Yakuza” and that hearing from Yokoyama himself is “way more hype than any tease.” Dark Ties received special attention from fans because one player said the game has special features which will create “unexpected results which will make people freak out.” People need to calm down but I feel the same way.
The responses that followed created a situation which required immediate attention. The comment section absolutely did not remain peaceful. The situation became uncontrollable when Kiryu began fighting in the streets. The discussion shifted towards two different major problems which were completely distinct from each other. The entire situation became untidy because of this situation.
The first major issue which requires attention: people complain about censorship while they accuse others of being “woke.” A bunch of players immediately started firing shots at Nintendo of America accusing them of planning to censor the game. The comments section received multiple messages which included “You will censor the game which will result in a boring version that appears to be homosexual” and “The game will undergo censorship because of present-day political correctness.” One person called Nintendo’s content “disgusting Jewish subverting woke propaganda garbage” which created an awkward situation. A total of users showed their hatred towards NoA while some users demanded all employees should be dismissed from their jobs. The developer interview tweet shows that players mistrust Western publishing companies because they believe European companies will mistreat Japanese gaming titles.
The second major firestorm developed into a more serious situation. Several users pointed out a major ethical issue with Yakuza Kiwami 3 specifically. They revealed that the character in the original game used actor Teruyuki Kagawa’s voice and facial appearance as his character design. Kagawa received his conviction for violence which he committed against two women. A #REMOVEKAGAWA campaign emerged which required developers to eliminate him from the sequel. Comments designated the sexual predator role as the main reason for the show’s failure. The user who made this comment told others “DONT SUPPORT THIS GAME” because of his negative view toward the game. The replies created a separate argument which included users misunderstanding the topic and accusing critics of being “racist” because they followed a different reason which made the situation more confusing. The discussion reached an extremely heated stagewhich resulted in personal matters becoming public.
The gaming community provided their regular responses which occurred during all of this situation. Some players showed their excitement toward the games which they called “goated.” People used this opportunity to request more Game Trials while they expressed their preference for Xbox over other systems. A user predicted that the next Creator’s Voice will feature Capcom as their special guest who will discuss Resident Evil. The shouting completely overwhelmed everything.
The current situation demonstrates the difficulties organizations face when they announce gaming projects. The industry now requires businesses to evaluate their products through both graphical performance and actual product launch details. Players will spend their time examining the ethical aspects of games which they defend through dangerous methods. The developer video which the community received showed their excitement for a future series which they love while their worries about corporate control and the creators’ ethical choices conflict with their enthusiasm. The upcoming development path for Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio needs to address more than development obstacles which emerge during the production of Yakuza Kiwami 3. The success of these projects will depend on the quality of the gameplay and how the studio resolves the real problems which their players have been vocal about.
