Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, Kiwami, and Kiwami 2 go native on PS5 and Xbox Series as RGG unveils

Why this announcement actually matters

RGG Studio used its latest Summit to finally give the early Yakuza games the native current-gen treatment and, yes, to drop the headline-grabber: Yakuza Kiwami 3 is real. The near-term news is what caught my eye, though. Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, Yakuza Kiwami, and Kiwami 2 are landing natively on PS5 and Xbox Series in December, with PC updates and physical editions in tow-plus more language options and some brand-new content. That’s a big deal if you’ve been stuck replaying PS4 code via backward compatibility or waiting for a clean way to start the saga on modern boxes.

Key takeaways

• Native PS5/Series versions for 0, Kiwami, and Kiwami 2 arrive in December, not just boosted BC.
• RGG promises additional translations and “new content,” alongside PC updates and physical releases.
• Kiwami 3 is coming, signaling a full modern pipeline for the early Kiryu era.
• The value hinges on upgrade paths, save transfers, and what the “new content” actually is.

Breaking down the announcement

At the Summit, RGG essentially drew a line under the piecemeal state of the series. Previously, the Like a Dragon timeline has been split across engines, platforms, and performance profiles: Yakuza 0 and the first Kiwami were PS3/PS4-era tech, Kiwami 2 moved to the Dragon Engine, and on current consoles we’ve been living with backward compatibility or scattered PC settings. December’s drops consolidate that mess with native current-gen builds and a proper physical run-good news for collectors who still want the shelf to tell the full Kiryu story.

Two details stand out beyond the obvious ports. First, broader translation support. The series’ global surge owes a lot to accessible localizations; if RGG is adding more languages (and better subtitle timing/fonts for readability), that meaningfully opens the door for new players. Second, “new content.” That phrase can hide anything from a bonus side quest to tougher premium substories. I’m hopeful it means smart, lore-friendly additions-think extra pocket circuit championships in 0 or fresh Majima Everywhere beats in Kiwami—rather than filler.

The real upgrades that matter for players

On paper, a native build should deliver the usual wins: faster loads, steadier performance, and platform-specific perks. That stuff isn’t sexy, but it transforms how these games feel. Snappier transitions make substories and minigame hopping way more inviting—karaoke, Club SEGA, Mahjong, Cabaret Club, real estate/Clan Creator—these are at their best when you’re not staring at a spinner every 30 seconds.

What I’m watching for: a locked 60 FPS across all three (Kiwami 2’s Dragon Engine has historically been the wobbliest), 4K or at least clean 1440p rendering, and sensible DualSense support on PS5. Haptics for heat actions and vibration cues during weapon clashes would be great; gimmicky trigger resistance would not. On Xbox, Quick Resume is a quiet superpower for a series built around side-activity snacking—jumping back into a batting cage challenge or a substory cliffhanger instantly is a real quality-of-life boost.

Where Kiwami 3 fits into the bigger picture

Kiwami 3’s announcement is the clearest sign RGG wants the classic Kiryu arc modernized end-to-end. Remaking 3 is the hard one, too: it’s where the series first leans into Okinawa’s slower rhythms and more melodrama, and it needs thoughtful tuning to mesh with newer combat expectations. If RGG nails the feel—more weight than Kiwami’s brawler styles but not as floaty as late Dragon Engine entries—we’ll finally have a coherent, current-gen on-ramp from 0 all the way forward.

Open questions RGG still needs to answer

• Upgrade paths: Will PS4/Xbox One owners get a free or discounted entitlement to the native versions?
• Save transfers: Can long-time players carry progress and completion lists forward, or are we starting fresh?
• Performance targets: Is 60 FPS guaranteed across the board, and what’s the native resolution?
• New content specifics: Are we talking extra substories, minigames, or meaningful combat tweaks?
• PC parity: Do the PC updates align feature-for-feature with consoles, and will mod support be affected?
• Localization scope: Which languages are being added, and will existing translations get a polish pass?
• Physical editions: Any collector’s extras, reversible covers, or soundtrack inclusions?

Should you replay—or start here?

If you’re new, this is the cleanest entry point the series has had in years. Play 0, then Kiwami, then Kiwami 2, and you’ll hit the emotional beats the way RGG intended. The tonal whiplash—from heartfelt crime drama to sublime nonsense about pocket racers and chicken managers—is the point, and it lands best when performance and loading don’t get in the way.

If you’re a returning fan, the calculus depends on the upgrade policy and the “new content.” For me, Yakuza 0 is endlessly replayable; native loads plus any fresh substories are an easy sell. Kiwami benefits most from combat and encounter tuning (Majima Everywhere is ripe for tweaks), while Kiwami 2’s big win would be a smoother Dragon Engine at higher resolutions. If RGG charges full price without meaningful additions, that’s a tougher ask—great games, but they’ve been playable on current hardware for years.

TL;DR

RGG is finally giving Yakuza 0, Kiwami, and Kiwami 2 native PS5/Series versions in December, alongside PC updates, physical editions, more translations, and some new content. It’s the best way to start (or restart) Kiryu’s tale—assuming RGG nails performance, offers fair upgrades, and the “new” content is more than fluff.