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[Lernaean]

I don't see what's rip off here?

It's a pretty old game, on a previous gen console, distributed digital only, and sold for 40.
If you are ok with this, or you are ok with the blackmail approach of 'buy this and we might actually bring the current gen games over', then idk what wouldn't be ok with you.

 

[Burgess_101]

It's a pretty old game, on a previous gen console, distributed digital only, and sold for 40.
If you are ok with this, or you are ok with the blackmail approach of 'buy this and we might actually bring the current gen games over', then idk what wouldn't be ok with you.

How else is a company going to gauge interest in future localisations?

 

[Big_Al]

It's a pretty old game, on a previous gen console, distributed digital only, and sold for 40.
If you are ok with this, or you are ok with the blackmail approach of 'buy this and we might actually bring the current gen games over', then idk what wouldn't be ok with you.

Don't be silly now.

Any Yakuza fan knows it's a niche game, of a series that sells very very little in the west and quite frankly we're very lucky to be getting this game at all and that's not hyperbole. Charging $40 helps them cover their costs too
You also get plenty of game for your money too, $40 is absolutely worth it and not a ripoff at all. You're picking the wrong battle here. Also Yakuza 5 is by far more important to me as a fan of the series rather than the PS4 games, I would be PISSED if we got those and not Y5.

 

[Lernaean]

How else is a company going to gauge interest in future localisations?

Localize a game running on a current platform at least. How many people in the west still play on PS360? Releasing on a previous gen platform is not the best way to gauge interest in future localizations as you say it.

Don't be silly now.

Any Yakuza fan knows it's a niche game, of a series that sells very very little in the west and quite frankly we're very lucky to be getting this game at all and that's not hyperbole. Charging $40 helps them cover their costs too
You also get plenty of game for your money too, $40 is absolutely worth it and not a ripoff at all. You're picking the wrong battle here. Also Yakuza 5 is by far more important to me as a fan of the series rather than the PS4 games, I would be PISSED if we got those and not Y5.

I agree that 5 is more important than 0, though i still want 6 to be released here, but we all know that a Y0 release would sell a lot more than a PS3 Y5 at this time (end 2015-early 2016). If they base the potential of future localizations based on Y5 sales, we're all totally screwed.

 

[Hasney]

It's a pretty old game, on a previous gen console, distributed digital only, and sold for 40.
If you are ok with this, or you are ok with the blackmail approach of 'buy this and we might actually bring the current gen games over', then idk what wouldn't be ok with you.

Game is fantastic and worth 40 easily no matter what format it's on and wraps up the current Yakuza stories. Regardless of any future games possibly happening, I'd be buying this.

My PS3 didn't magically disintegrate when PS4 came out.

 

[Burgess_101]

Localize a game running on a current platform at least. How many people in the west still play on PS360? Releasing on a previous gen platform is not the best way to gauge interest in future localizations as you say it.

Tonnes of people do. I've got mine on top of my PS4. Even if they don't people can drag them out its not difficult. It makes sense chronologically to release Yakuza 5.

I get your point but as the poster above says, its niche and always will be. We can see that from the way the first 2 games were received. There could be a tidy sum for Sega should this niche buy enough of the game, especially through digital and for fans of the game it's a winwin. We get the games we want and SEGA gets a return on their investment.

 

[ZeroX03]

Hey another bumped Yakuza thread...

It's a pretty old game, on a previous gen console, distributed digital only, and sold for 40.
If you are ok with this, or you are ok with the blackmail approach of 'buy this and we might actually bring the current gen games over', then idk what wouldn't be ok with you.

...and while this is different from the "physical or no buy" posts, it's still equally silly.

Game isn't overpriced. Yakuza fans are willing to pay $40. The would not get double the amount of sales if it was $20 instead.

 

[Tizoc]

It's a pretty old game, on a previous gen console, distributed digital only, and sold for 40.

There was still work put in to localize it, if you don't think Yakuza 5 is a game worth $40 based on the actual game itself and its quality, then just wait for a sale or for it to go on PS Plus. I should mention that the game has the Taiko no Tatsujin game localized, that series hasn't gotten any of its games with an official english release, so likely licensing that for the English release of Y5 factored into the costs.

Furthermore you're getting a discount on release, is $35ish for a good game not worth it to you, because it's 3 years old? If we judge games based on when they released, then one shouldn't comment on their quality and actual gameplay.

If you are ok with this, or you are ok with the blackmail approach of 'buy this and we might actually bring the current gen games over', then idk what wouldn't be ok with you.

This whole 'blackmail' mentality is absurd; the series didn't sell well outside Japan to begin with, has been since Y1's release, the combined sales of Y1-4 and DS worldwide is said to be less than 500,000 units
The fact we're even getting this game localized may as well be a miracle.

There's already those who are so displeased with it being on PS3 only, when the costs for getting to port to PS4 wouldn't be worth the risk they're already taking.

I'd agree that that if this somehow manages to exceeds SEGA Japan's expectations they may localize another Yakuza game, so I got to ask: Why is that a bad thing?

Because you gotta buy a PS3? Dang things go for cheap now wouldn't they? There's Black friday coming up soon, surely there'll be some good deals on them now.

 

[Lernaean]

Because you gotta buy a PS3? Dang things go for cheap now wouldn't they? There's Black friday coming up soon, surely there'll be some good deals on them now.

I never said i have to buy a PS3, i have it in a shelf about 2mt away from where I'm sitting now. I also said i'm getting the game on my first post.
I get it, you are very happy it's being localized. I am too. But think for one moment.
The west is overrun by PS4s. Most ppl are not like me, storing their old consoles, most sell them or throw them away or whatever. Right now the active PS3s in the west are on an all time low. Additionally, the series is niche. How many of the active PS3 users would buy this game? Is it targetted only to the series fans? If it is, we are talking about minimal sales, if it isn't, then this price is not really appealing for a game running on a prev gen system for the non fan consumer, simple as that.
All i'm saying is that Sega arranged this whole thing based on the Japanese market where the PS4 is just starting to make a crack, and not the western one where the PS3 is almost abandoned completely.
That's why I mentioned the price. It's not about whether i would spend 40 for Y5, or whether i believe the game is worth it, it's about how appealing it looks to the average consumer, and believe me, it doesn't look very appealing.

 

[Jimrpg]

A lot of people still have their PS3 plugged in for ps plus monthly games right?

 

[ZeroX03]

Is it targetted only to the series fans? If it is, we are talking about minimal sales

Yes, it is only targeted toward series fans. Nobody else would buy it anyway, that's been proven with all the other Yakuza titles.

 

[ar4757]

Yes, it is only targeted toward series fans. Nobody else would buy it anyway, that's been proven with all the other Yakuza titles.

Pretty much, hell, they said on stream that this wouldn't determine the future or something similar

 

[Lernaean]

Yes, it is only targeted toward series fans. Nobody else would buy it anyway, that's been proven with all the other Yakuza titles.

That's where i disagree. I believe that any Yakuza game on PS4 right now would attract more consumers than just the series fans. Not being crazy and talking about groundbreaking sales, but it would sell to more than just series fans.

 

[UnluckyKate]

That's where i disagree. I believe that any Yakuza game on PS4 right now would attract more consumers than just the series fans. Not being crazy and talking about groundbreaking sales, but it would sell to more than just series fans.

they missed their chance of relaunching the series with a rebranding when Ishin released. Now its very late. They could always try again with Kiwami but we all know its not happeneing

 

[ZeroX03]

That's where i disagree. I believe that any Yakuza game on PS4 right now would attract more consumers than just the series fans. Not being crazy and talking about groundbreaking sales, but it would sell to more than just series fans.

Except history has shown us time and time again that the West gives zero fucks about Yakuza. You might disagree, but Sega and the sales numbers know better than you.

Plus if you're talking PS4 all that really leaves is Yakuza 0 and there's been hints they plan to localize that anyway.

 

[Lernaean]

Except history has shown us time and time again that the West gives zero fucks about Yakuza. You might disagree, but Sega and the sales numbers know better than you.

Plus if you're talking PS4 all that really leaves is Yakuza 0 and there's been hints they plan to localize that anyway.

No game sells only to the series fans when it runs on a current and popular platform. It's like saying a new RE will only sell to RE fans for example. People who have nothing to do with the series will buy it to have something to play on their currently available platform. It doesn't matter if it's 100, 1000 or 10000 more, it is more.

 

[ZeroX03]

No game sells only to the series fans when it runs on a current and popular platform. It's like saying a new RE will only sell to RE fans for example. People who have nothing to do with the series will buy it to have something to play on their currently available platform. It doesn't matter if it's 100, 1000 or 10000 more, it is more.

A few hundred more is jack shit. And they need Yakuza 5 if there's any chance of continuing the mainline anyway.

It's either Yakuza 5, a mainline title on an old system with a bigger install base.

Or Yakuza 0, a mainline-ish title on a system with a more active install base.

Either way they're both going to sell terribly.

And Yakuza 5 was the game fans asked for as part of building the list.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

No game sells only to the series fans when it runs on a current and popular platform. It's like saying a new RE will only sell to RE fans for example. People who have nothing to do with the series will buy it to have something to play on their currently available platform. It doesn't matter if it's 100, 1000 or 10000 more, it is more.

Yakuza 5 isn't about trying to grow the fanbase, it's about throwing a bone to Yakuza fans at what will very likely be an overall loss for whoever is fronting the costs.

$40 is fine for a game which hasn't released before and has so much content. This isn't STEAM where a price decrease will equal a massive rise in purchases. The only people buying or interested in this game are Yakuza fans. We want 5 because 4 was the last one we got. Porting it to PS4 as well wouldn't make sense as it's not the right Yakuza game to create interest amongst gamers.

If they want to give this series another go and to bring in new fans Ishin, 0 or the 1 remake would be better options than 5. Releasing them on PS4 and Steam at $30 and using Atlus to publish.

You're also forgetting we are getting 5 because this is the game we asked Sony's 3rd party relations to bring over. The Yakuza fanbase didn't ask for Ishin or 0, they listened to what we asked for at the time and this is the only way to make it feasible.

 

[RichiRamjag]

How else is a company going to gauge interest in future localisations?

They could gauge it by actually porting it to the more modern console or giving us the PS4 yakuza. This being a PS3 only game prevents me from buying it personally. These companies always try to gauge interest, but they always limit themselves in some way. Same with them putting those gundam games on ps3 specifically. I just hope there are enough of you on PS3 buying this.

they missed their chance of relaunching the series with a rebranding when Ishin released. Now its very late. They could always try again with Kiwami but we all know its not happeneing

Exactly, I would have been all over that game. Nothing is going to happen with this series over here in my opinion.

 

[Goro Majima]

I'd pay $60 or even $100 if I had to play this on my toaster and download this shit over dial up. This is one of my favorite game series ever....I even loved the zombie spin off!

I just hope we get Yakuza 6

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

They could gauge it by actually porting it to the more modern console or giving us the PS4 yakuza. This being a PS3 only game prevents me from buying it personally. These companies always try to gauge interest, but they always limit themselves in some way. Same with them putting those gundam games on ps3 specifically. I just hope there are enough of you on PS3 buying this.



Exactly, I would have been all over that game. Nothing is going to happen with this series over here in my opinion.

Yakuza 5 isn't to gauge interest, it's for fans of the series who literally begged for this game. Both Sony and SEGA know that the PS3 is a dead platform and they likely won't make money off this game. If they ported 5 specifically to PS4 then it would lose even more money.

The series is a dead horse and they would use a different Yakuza game to try and stimulate some new fans, but now probably won't since even the core Yakuza fans are giving them a pass for silly reasons.

Supposedly the fans wanted this game no matter what, but now can't get passed playing it at a full pixels less and also feel that $40 is too much.

R.I.P Yakuza, it seems the fans passion for you was always make believe.

 

[lobdale]

I guess I'm the guy that can't exist, gaming solely on a PS3 and Wii U. My PS3 is the centerpiece of the whole setup, all our streaming media, Blu-ray, and we still play lots of games on it (Geo Wars 3, rounds of Jeopardy, SF IV).

Having no plans to buy a PS4 and with a huge library for 3 that isn't backwards compatible on PS4, getting games like Yakuza 5, at a reduced price, that allow me to keep ignoring the PS4 for now is great! I played Yakuza 3 and 4 on here... and Yakuza 5 came out in the Japanese PS3's heyday. It's just taken forever to get it out in English.

Embrace these final PS3 games! It's always the ones at the very end of many systems that end up being the best.

 

[Dragon1893]

People always find something to bitch about. It's actually fucking impressive.

 

[Jotaka]

That's where i disagree. I believe that any Yakuza game on PS4 right now would attract more consumers than just the series fans. Not being crazy and talking about groundbreaking sales, but it would sell to more than just series fans.

Just because you think don't make it happens. The past sales data show you are just wrong.

 

[novablue]

Can't wait. Restoration next, please?

 

[Son Of Sparda]

Can't wait. Restoration next, please?

Not gonna happen. That game is way too Japanese and I'm not just talking about usual Yakuza stuff. Every pixel, every dialogue, every event... etc, etc, of that game is made and tailored with Japanese audience in mind so I highly highly doubt that they would ever even consider releasing it in the west.

 

[Rap2thaMoon]

Not gonna happen. That game is way too Japanese and I'm not just talking about usual Yakuza stuff. Every pixel, every dialogue, every event... etc, etc, of that game is made and tailored with Japanese audience in mind so I highly highly doubt that they would ever even consider releasing it in the west.

In that case almost every Japanese game is made for Japan, sins the county has it's own market that is different from EU/US.

 

[Atwa]

I don't see how price is too high.

Its a huge game with tons of things to do.

 

[Briarios]

It's a pretty old game, on a previous gen console, distributed digital only, and sold for 40.
If you are ok with this, or you are ok with the blackmail approach of 'buy this and we might actually bring the current gen games over', then idk what wouldn't be ok with you.

Right, because there is no additional cost to localization that they have to recoup ...

This is so far and away from a ripoff it's not even funny.

 

[Yamibito]

I don't see how price is too high.

Its a huge game with tons of things to do.

The most common complaint seems to be either that it's digital only (which is whatever, at least we're fucking getting the game), or that it's an "old" game because it released in Japan three years ago. First of all, $40 is still less than $60, and second of all, this is for all intents and purposes a new product. It's not a case of flipping a switch and having the dialogue magically be in English, despite what people think. Translating from Japanese into English is no easy task because literal translations don't make sense, portions of it will have be re-written to carry over the intent of the original language into English. If this was a case of a translation from another Germanic language we'd already have the game.

People are operating on very flawed logic.

 

[idalarian]

Hey all I've been wanting to get into the Yakuza series for some time now (I have both Yakuza 3 and 4 on ps3 but I haven't played them yet) and I would really want to start with 1 but now that I have a new job and other time constraints, I don't really know what to do anymore. Here are the options available now:

1. Play Yakuza 1;
2. Skip it, watch a playthrough on Youtube (if there is one of course);
3. Skip it, watch a story summary that comes with the other Yakuza (I think 3 has one);
4. Watch the movie Like a dragon (if it's good/faithful to the original);
5. Hope indefinitely for a localization of Yakuza Kiwami? LOL

What do you all recommend?

 

[Nightengale]

Hey all I've been wanting to get into the Yakuza series for some time now (I have both Yakuza 3 and 4 on ps3 but I haven't played them yet) and I would really want to start with 1 but now that I have a new job and other time constraints, I don't really know what to do anymore. Here are the options available now:

1. Play Yakuza 1;
2. Skip it, watch a playthrough on Youtube (if there is one of course);
3. Skip it, watch a story summary that comes with the other Yakuza (I think 3 has one);
4. Watch the movie Like a dragon (if it's good/faithful to the original);
5. Hope indefinitely for a localization of Yakuza Kiwami? LOL

What do you all recommend?

Order of recommendation :

1-2-3-5-4.

I will always advocate playing over watching, but honestly it's not such a bad experience to watch a focused playthrough of Yakuza 1 if you're short on time.

 

[N.A]

I think the only chance we have of seeing future titles in the west is if they start porting them to PC. The success of Valkyria Chronicles and many other Japanese PC releases could make them consider this though.

 

[ZeroX03]

Hey all I've been wanting to get into the Yakuza series for some time now (I have both Yakuza 3 and 4 on ps3 but I haven't played them yet) and I would really want to start with 1 but now that I have a new job and other time constraints, I don't really know what to do anymore. Here are the options available now:

1. Play Yakuza 1;
2. Skip it, watch a playthrough on Youtube (if there is one of course);
3. Skip it, watch a story summary that comes with the other Yakuza (I think 3 has one);
4. Watch the movie Like a dragon (if it's good/faithful to the original);
5. Hope indefinitely for a localization of Yakuza Kiwami? LOL

What do you all recommend?

Skip Yakuza 1, watch story summary/YouTube.

Play Yakuza 2 if easily possible. Otherwise summary/YouTube.

Play Yakuza 3, 4 and 5.

Play Kiwami, 6 and 0 if they ever get localised.

The main stories aren't actually too long or difficult but it's very easy to get sidetracked.

 

[Yamibito]

I think the only chance we have of seeing future titles in the west is if they start porting them to PC. The success of Valkyria Chronicles and many other Japanese PC releases could make them consider this though.

That's a pipe dream, unfortunately.

 

[Baldwin_the_First]

I've played Yakuza 3 and 4 and really enjoyed them, but I won't be buying Yakuza 5.

Waiting a year for the english translation of the game would have been understandable, and it would have only been a year into the next generation of consoles which personally I felt was pretty uneventful, but 3 years for it to come here with subs? Now that it's been 2 years in the next gen, with lots of new games and others to come, I simply moved on from my PS3 and from Yakuza 5, I'll most likely just watch a playthrough and that'll be it for me.

If, and that's a big IF, Yakuza 6 releases at the same time or at the very least in the same year with english subtitles, then I will start encouraging the dev team again. There's absolutely no good reason as to why english subtitles can't be made during the actual development of the game, hard or not, unless they simply gave up on trying to get new players around the world.

You can beg for your Yakuza games all you want for years to come for them to finally make a translation, I have no problem with it, but I personally won't support the dev team anymore as long as they don't do it in a time frame that is actually understandable.

 

[Spaghetti]

I've played Yakuza 3 and 4 and really enjoyed them, but I won't be buying Yakuza 5.

Waiting a year for the english translation of the game would have been understandable, and it would have only been a year into the next generation of consoles which personally I felt was pretty uneventful, but 3 years for it to come here with subs? Now that it's been 2 years in the next gen, with lots of new games and others to come, I simply moved on from my PS3 and from Yakuza 5, I'll most likely just watch a playthrough and that'll be it for me.

If, and that's a big IF, Yakuza 6 releases at the same time or at the very least in the same year with english subtitles, then I will start encouraging the dev team again. There's absolutely no good reason as to why english subtitles can't be made during the actual development of the game, hard or not, unless they simply gave up on trying to get new players around the world.

You can beg for your Yakuza games all you want for years to come for them to finally make a translation, I have no problem with it, but I personally won't support the dev team anymore as long as they don't do it in a time frame that is actually understandable.

i think you have a fundamental misunderstanding as to why the game has not been available in english until this upcoming release.

 

[Baldwin_the_First]

i think you have a fundamental misunderstanding as to why the game has not been available in english until this upcoming release.

Then let the light shine on my ignorance, do tell.

 

[Son Of Sparda]

In that case almost every Japanese game is made for Japan, sins the county has it's own market that is different from EU/US.

As I said it's really different. I might not be able to explain it very well but believe me if you play the game you'll understand what I mean. It has a very patriotic feel to it and everything is centered around that theme so it really is a Japanese game made for Japanese people. Not that it's a bad thing or anything nor that I mean that it wouldn't be successful in the west because of that said theme, it's just that I can understand why Sega might think that way.

 

[simtmb]

The sale talk needs to be put in perspective. Calling out that the west doesn't give a shit about this series? Quite short sighted.

Yakuza first released in 06 on the PS2, with an all Hollywood cast for the dub. Sega bet big right out the gate and failed miserably. From the first ones failure, the series was written off for the west by Sega, right after the very first game.

The 'bone' Sega threw, but also where they gave up, was the sequel, 2 years later in 08, subtitled only. Taking such a step back, right here, only solidified its placement, as that 'very Japanese game' that unfairly had 'Japanese GTA' of all things tied to it. Not sure what people would expect in terms of growing numbers from here on? Its fate seemed pretty clear. Do we have comparisons with similarly localized games of how they sell?

I believe there are a number of things that could help this series in the west, but is it too late? Also doesn't help that Dead Souls was such a poor and misguided attempt, I can't see how it did anything BUT damage the brand here.

 

[Nightengale]

Then let the light shine on my ignorance, do tell.

Because the only reason this localisation happened is because Sony's TPP intervened based on fan feedback on #buildingthelist, which was an initiative that only started mid-to-late 2013.

Yakuza 5 would never had been localised without that. So basically the game's localisation efforts was completely non-existent until Sony went to SEGA and initiated talks,and probably dropped some cash on the table.

Another problem/challenge with the Yakuza games is that it's a game where the devs are extremely protective of the source code. Basically the same team that develops the game are the ones who localise it. From what we know, they don't allow 3rd-parties or external devs to touch the games. Any ports to PS4, or text-inputs of English language comes from Team Yakuza themselves.

 

[oneida]

Hey all I've been wanting to get into the Yakuza series for some time now (I have both Yakuza 3 and 4 on ps3 but I haven't played them yet) and I would really want to start with 1 but now that I have a new job and other time constraints, I don't really know what to do anymore. Here are the options available now:

1. Play Yakuza 1;
2. Skip it, watch a playthrough on Youtube (if there is one of course);
3. Skip it, watch a story summary that comes with the other Yakuza (I think 3 has one);
4. Watch the movie Like a dragon (if it's good/faithful to the original);
5. Hope indefinitely for a localization of Yakuza Kiwami? LOL

What do you all recommend?

Having just done a series runthrough

play 1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then 5

seriously, its not a chore as theyre all good games, and youll enjoy the later games a lot more if you understand the characters

if you start with 3 you are skipping the best game in the series (2) to play the worst game in the series

 

[Son Of Sparda]

Because the only reason this localisation happened is because Sony's TPP intervened based on fan feedback on #buildingthelist, which was an initiative that only started mid-to-late 2013.

Yakuza 5 would never had been localised without that. So basically the game's localisation efforts was completely non-existent until Sony went to SEGA and initiated talks,and probably dropped some cash on the table.

Another problem/challenge with the Yakuza games is that it's a game where the devs are extremely protective of the source code. Basically the same team that develops the game are the ones who localise it. From what we know, they don't allow 3rd-parties or external devs to touch the games. Any ports to PS4, or text-inputs of English language comes from Team Yakuza themselves.

Yeah, this is true.

And the reason why SEGA didn't want to do a localization themselves was because the series sales really, really bad in the west. We don't have definitive numbers but I think 5 Yakuza games put together did even less than 300k in NA.

 

[Baldwin_the_First]

Because the only reason this localisation happened is because Sony's TPP intervened based on fan feedback on #buildingthelist, which was an initiative that only started mid-to-late 2013.

Yakuza 5 would never had been localised without that. So basically the game's localisation efforts was completely non-existent until Sony went to SEGA and initiated talks,and probably dropped some cash on the table.

Another problem/challenge with the Yakuza games is that it's a game where the devs are extremely protective of the source code. Basically the same team that develops the game are the ones who localise it. From what we know, they don't allow 3rd-parties or external devs to touch the games. Any ports to PS4, or text-inputs of English language comes from Team Yakuza themselves.

So where's the misunderstanding in what I wrote?:

"There's absolutely no good reason as to why english subtitles can't be made during the actual development of the game, hard or not, unless they simply gave up on trying to get new players around the world."

Isn't that exactly the case if they didn't intend in making a translation/localisation in the first place? Releasing it now 3 years later, obviously the only ones that will be getting it is the niche public that it's aiming for. Of course I knew that it didn't take 3 years for them to make the actual subtitles, the fact remains that it still took them 3 damn years for it to come over here with english subs.

If they don't intend on making a effort in the first place, I don't intend on making a effort in supporting them just so there's a possibility down the line in them making one. They are the ones who should take the risk, not the consumer.

 

[ar4757]

They are taking the risk - they're pretty surely going to lose money on it.

 

[Tizoc]

Yeah, this is true.

And the reason why SEGA didn't want to do a localization themselves was because the series sales really, really bad in the west. We don't have definitive numbers but I think 5 Yakuza games put together did even less than 300k in NA.

Correct.
Yakuza 0 alone sold 500,000 units in Japan IIRC.

 

[Baldwin_the_First]

They are taking the risk - they're pretty surely going to lose money on it.

What Im saying is taking the risk as the game is being made, not 3 years down the line. Of course they'll lose money now, when it's digital only, overpriced for a 3 year old game on the old generation of a console, and in subtitles only.

 

[Maligna]

I'm only buying this game on the off chance that its success gets Sega to release some other niche games. (e.g. Shenmue 1 and 2) I may not even play it.

 

[Zhao_Yun]

So where's the misunderstanding in what I wrote?:

Isn't that exactly the case if they didn't intend in making a translation/localisation in the first place? Releasing it now 3 years later, obviously the only ones that will be getting it is the niche public that it's aiming for. Of course I knew that it didn't take 3 years for them to make the actual subtitles, the fact remains that it still took them 3 damn years for it to come over here with english subtitles.

If they don't intend on making a effort in the first place, I don't intend on making a effort in supporting them just so there's a possibility down the line in them making one. There the ones who should take the risk, not the consumer.

I doubt that many more people would have bought the game if it had released 2 years earlier. Yakuza 3 and 4 were released in the West about 1 year after the Japanese release and both sold horribly. They have been taking risks with this series and it failed everytime. You can't expect a company to continue doing that forever.
Yakuza seems to have higher growth potential in Asian markets than in the West nowadays, which is why they are shifting their focus on localizing their games into Korean or Chinese instead. Less risk and higher benefits than localizing them into English.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

What Im saying is taking the risk as the game is being made, not 3 years down the line. Of course they'll lose money now, when it's digital only, overpriced for a 3 year old game on the old generation of a console, and in subtitles only.

Sega took the risk 4 previous times with mainline Yakuza games, trying many different approaches, always with poor and continually declining sales results. Maybe you think that they just always screwed up the English releases and if you had been in charge at Sega you would surely have found the magic formula to make Yakuza a blockbuster success. But even so, I hope you can understand why a company not seeing a satisfying return on their investment after a substantial amount of time would consider it more prudent to invest elsewhere instead.

But ultimately, if you're not going to play Yakuza 5 just because you're upset it wasn't localized right after its Japanese release, you're the one who's going to suffer by not experiencing a great game.