Sega posted a blog detailing Yakuza 5's localization to the west today.

It'll be released in 2015 on PSN.

Here's a trailer.

Is it too late for this release? The Yakuza crazies like me will obviously buy it, but damn this is some late localization...

I'll admit, I thought all hope was completely lost...

I will take it! If Bayonetta 2 has taught me anything it's cherish the moment when crazy stuff like this happens. So psyched. I played Yakuza 4 at the beginning of this year and had a blast. I was feeling the pain of the likelihood that 5 wouldn't get localized so I'm glad to see this. Man, I can't believe it.

Im so ready. Mostly excited to play as Haruka. >_>

Get heat son!!!

I already imported it a few months back, but stopped playing when one of the translation blogs I was following went on hiatus. Will definitely be getting this day one. I played through Kiryu's chapter and half of Saejima's and it was great.

I can't quite deal with this, come on Yakuza Zero! if you can do five you can give me the next gen 1980's set version right?

I didnt think Yakuza 4 made it over

Most surprising news I heard from the keynote speech. Genuinely surprised!

Cannot wait! No physical version?

Literally the only announcement I gave a shit about during the show. Good on Sony.

I had totally given up on it, neat to see it coming.

Pretty cool! Shame it isn't coming to PS4, though. Hopefully Yakuza Zero will at least have more of a chance of getting localised now, too, if not that feudal Japan cross-gen one.

What about the one set in the Meiji era? I still need to actually play Yakuza 3 though.

Oh snap.

Sort of bummed by no physical version but whatever man I'll take what I can get.

I'm a crazy person, but my side-craziness that requires I buy physical games for console games will likely preclude me from buying this. I am not proud of it.

I wonder if this means Yakuza 0 is also coming

This is fucking great, amazing! I thought this would never happen. It's a shame that there won't be a physical copy though. But i'm just happy we'll get it at all.

I played a bit of the first one years ago. These games seem interesting, how inter connected are they? Should I dig the first back up before playing later ones like 5.

I buy every localization surprise like this that I can, sometimes I feel I should play them though.

@kebrel: I recommend just playing 3 and 4. 1 and 2 are super dated and they provide a really good Previously On in 3.

@corevi: Love to see both Zero and the HD collection come over even if it's just onto PSN to keep costs low for SEGA.

I really love this series, I'm super excited they are bringing it over. I was hoping it could be brought to the Atus brand as they know how to get people who like those games to buy those games. Doesn't matter, English Yakuza, Whooo!

yes lord yes!!!!

This is the best news of the year.

Once this was announced, I knew I was set for the rest of the event. It made it very easy to laugh off the FFVII stuff.

I'll be there on Day 1, Sega.

They are so connected the games have a relationship chart tree in the menus so you can keep track of all the characters and factions and relationships.

A man tear was just shed. Can't wait to break faces in Japan again, thanks SEGA for finally seeing the light.

*tear drops on the carpet floor*

Only way this could get better is if they finally reveal that Kazuma's biological father was in fact Ryu Hazuki. It'd never happen since both are about the same age.

Didn't think this would actually happen, but good on them.

This along with Suikoden 2 finally coming to PSN makes me very happy.

I had a feeling that they might localise Yakuza Zero since that's a prequel that doesnt require any prior knowledge to the other games but I pretty much gave up on this one. Definitely the best thing to come out of that Sony experience thing.

This is for PS3 only? Cause I uhh.. already packed up those older consoles..

I just bought the digital version of Yakuza 4 to show my support of this decision!

@baka_shinji17: they've said since that's so rooted in Japanese hisyory that it will not come over to the us. Americans wouldn't get the references.

5 will probably have 18 hours of story recap. I'll be grabbing this. I'm not burned out on it despite finishing 2 (well, near enough) this year.

Man, I dunno. I loved Yakuza 3 but kinda fell off 4... Then again, I do want them to keep bringin stuff like this over, so I might end up getting it just for that reason. Maybe someday they'll bring over Kenzan.

Yakuza 4 is mostly about thee new characters, so while it does reference the earlier games it's perfectly playable on it its own. Don't know how stand alone Yakuza 5 is though, as there are more returning characters.

Anyway, I'm really happy about this, was pretty much resigned that it wouldn't happen. Too bad the only Giant Bomb staffer with strong feelings about the games is Dan - and he hates them.

@blacklagoon: Ryan really liked them...

@madman356647: That is such a lame excuse. The people who have played the series up to this point are probably already interested in Japanese culture/history. Yeah, it wouldn't be a blockbuster seller, but at least it would be available to the few who want it.

HOLY. FUCKING. SHIT.

I too had given up all hope.

@corevi said:

Are you sure? I seem to recall he was somewhat positive in Quick Look of 4, at least until they got bogged down in a text heavy side story. But I never got the impression that he played much more of the games, or developed a strong opinion of them.

Yeah, as far as I was aware he had a passing interest in them but didn't actually play much of them. I guess Kessler is technically the only one who put in the effort as he reviewed Yakuza 4.

My God. Me and a friend have played through the entire series together and we can finally continue our Yakuza run!

Fucking amazing news. So happy.

@kebrel: I decided to experience the series in it's entirety a couple years back and was not dissapointed. You can definitely play these games on their own, but if you dig up a copy of 1 and start at the beginning you will really get the most out of it. I've grown very attached to the cast of oddball shirtless, manly yakuza that star in these games. Seeing how the actual gameplay grows as the series progresses is a treat too.

I'd say go for it! You won't be dissapointed by this amazing series.

I wish they'd bring it for PS4.

oh oh spaghettio! didn't see this! feel free to close my related thread someone

can't wait for this! Sapporo is a killer setting, love that city

I love this series, and whilst I essentially gave my PS3 to my brother when I got a PS4, I'm going to take this news and infer that Yakuza 0 has some chance of coming to the west as well. Hoping I won't have to wait years and years to get it, though. I'm not crazy enough to import and stumble my way through it.

Man, I was just looking at the wiki page for this yesterday and sighing over the fact that I'd never get to play it. Maybe those Sega Hatsune Miku games did well enough that it made releasing this game in the same way more viable?

if i remember correctly, he had always said he had a "peripheral interest" on the Yakuza series. (specifically the podcasts when they were in Japan for TGS is where i believe he said this)

Jeff and Patrick as well always were interested in the series.

@baka_shinji17: Never said it was a good excuse. Just what I read.