PS3 News: Yakuza 3 Flies Off Shelves In Japan - PS3 News

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Yakuza 3 Flies Off Shelves In Japan

We've been trying to tell PlayStation 3 owners in North America that they're missing out on what should be one of the best exclusives available: Yakuza 3. Of course, it's currently only available in Japan, but based on these excellent numbers, maybe we'll get it a little sooner... We don't want to wait a year like we had to do for the first couple of installments!

According to the latest Famitsu edition, it has been confirmed that Yakuza 3 sold 232,000 copies in its first day on store shelves in the Land of the Rising Sun. Only Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, which sold a whopping 465,000 on launch day, has done better in the PlayStation 3 realm. Heck, the third entry in Sega's popular action series even beat out the recently released White Knight Chronicles, which sold about 207,000 copies on its first day. Another update has just come from Yakuza 3's producer, Toshihiro Nogashi on his own blog, where he says that the title has now sold over 300,000 units in the first week of availability. If you're not familiar, you can always pick up one of the first two entries; you can probably find them cheap. If you're intrigued, you're going to want this PS3 effort, especially if the Japanese reviews can be believed. It took all the right steps, apparently, and we're really hoping that Sega decides to distribute Yakuza 3 to other regions within the next few months. Chances are, though, we're still gonna have to wait a while.

Although most huge titles these days are released worldwide, there are still a few that remain fairly well attached to Japan, and the Yakuza games have always fallen into this category. It's good to see this level of success, though!

Related Game(s): Yakuza 3

3/2/2009 John Shepard

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Comments (27 posts)

Cpt_Geez
Monday, March 02, 2009 @ 10:06:40 PM
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II can't wait for them to be flying off shelves here in america lol.

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Zemus101
Monday, March 02, 2009 @ 10:25:25 PM
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I really got a kick out of the demo when i got it a week or so ago, and with everything i've seen in the videos, it looks like there is a LOT to do in this game, something I kinda thought the newest gta was lacking. Plus kicking ppl in the face is quite entertaining.

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godsman
Monday, March 02, 2009 @ 10:36:02 PM
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I am looking forward to this game... although im in the US, im still more interested in Japanese games. no shooters for me.

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NightHawk17
Monday, March 02, 2009 @ 10:41:41 PM
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Amazing, Simply Amazing! Sure is funny how Star Ocean 4 only sold 162,000 it's first week. Now imagine how many it would have sold if it was on the PS3......

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godsman
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 12:01:02 AM

Star Ocean:Last Hope, the characters look plain ugly. Too cartoonish.... but the gameplay looks super fun. These RPG are the exact experience im waiting for in PS3... *sigh*

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WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 12:32:08 AM

Why aren't more people asking this question?

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Orvisman
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 9:32:40 AM

@Godsman,

Have you tried Valkyria Chronicles? Great game.

Also, keep an eye on X(Cross)-Edge from Idea Factory and NIS. It will be out on May 19 in the U.S.

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Naga
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 9:49:07 AM

Idea Factory the devs of generation vs Spectral and generation of Chaos (I think) what could go wrong

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Reccaman18
Monday, March 02, 2009 @ 10:46:30 PM
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Im kinda contused as to which game is the real Yakuza 3. I originally thought I played the demo a year or so ago, but when I played this new one, it was in modern day Japan, instead of feudal Japan. and this pic is of a feudal Japan, so Im wondering if both are Yakuza 3. Can any body help me? lol

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Tha_Joker_186
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 12:21:06 AM

ok....so the demo that you played a year ago is "Yakuza KENZAN!" its a spin-off series that was set in the feudal days of Japan, and the demo you played a week ago is "Yakuza 3" the REAL sequel to the Yakuza trilogy ;)

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Reccaman18
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 11:50:06 AM

thanks. it got me so confused cause of the name Yakuza. okay, now I know which is which.

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Big_Boss
Monday, March 02, 2009 @ 10:51:50 PM
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I played the demo and i didn't like it.
This game would've probably looked good in 07.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 12:32:55 AM
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So it's coming to America for sure now right?

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Tha_Joker_186
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 1:03:20 AM

I don't think so....because the director of the game, Mr. Nagoshi said that he is only focusing this for the Japanese gamers and he also mentioned that he put this game on the PS3 because most of Japanese gamer userbase is on the PS3, he said this was a gift of gaming for the Japanese gamers.

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Scarecrow
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 1:08:21 AM
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Nice!
Would like to get this too, love Samurai movies so a game should be just if not more fun.

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LegendaryWolfeh
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 8:27:28 AM

But this isn't really about Samurai lol. it's about the japanese mafia lol

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King James
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 10:22:04 AM

hence the name...Yakuza

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SpinningBeat
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 1:09:15 AM
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Man I loved the demo even though I didn't know enough Japanese to understand what was going on. I really hope they released it in the states with subs like they did yakuza 2.

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BTNwarrior
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 2:16:00 AM
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Interesting, I might get this now that I'm into Japanese games again. All because of that rediculously addictive P4 I just got

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Fenrir
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 3:19:51 AM
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Demo from Japan store was great. But I wonder if one import the game from Japan the English audio is already included? Because there was no English track in the demo. Well I´m gonna ask a friend in Japan and write the results here tomorrow.

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rell
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 8:15:49 AM
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I wish this game come to america, I love the demo, damn sega I guess yall lost hope in america ps3 owners supporting yall product. Its still some die hard sega fans out there including myself.

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Orvisman
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 9:29:49 AM
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Waiting on my copy from NCS.

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Naga
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 9:44:54 AM
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The first yakuza came out in Europe the 2nd didn't Its very unlikely that Yakuza 3 will release in Europe :( D:

Come on Sega release it on the Playstation Store even though it's over 30GB

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big6
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 9:53:59 AM
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I can't see this game get more than a marginal following in North America. Reason? Well, it's about Yakuza, which is the Japanese triad. (which is something most North Americans know nothing about, other than that it's 'something' like the Mafia, over here)

So, the game will contain lots of Japan-specific cultural references, dialogue, and history that only true Japanese will understand, and appeal to. I'm afraid it would be largely "lost in translation" for the North American folk. =/

If they bring it over, I suspect it would sell less copies than Valkyria Chronicles, I'm afraid.

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Alienange
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 10:54:52 AM

Can't agree with you on that one. I think anyone who gives it a little time will not only understand what the game is about but find it quite appealing too. I don't think it would get lost in translation as you say. It may not sell through the roof, but I do think it would be worth bring to EU and NA.

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bamf
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 12:36:14 PM
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It looks like Japanese gamers are starting to buy PS3 games.

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vicious54
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 12:36:20 PM
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I never played the firs two but I remember everyone talking about the first one when it came out. I need to download the demo, the videos look great for the game.

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