Is Yakuza 0 a GTA Killer?

There's been a lot of buzz about Yakuza in the West as of late, and for good reason. This series of beat-em-up adventures depicts the dramatic life of Kazuma Kiryu, an influential member of the Japanese yakuza, who dips his toes in and out of the organization over the course of several decades. It has been critically well-received since the first game in the series released on the PlayStation 2 back in 2006, and though five main Yakuza titles have been localized to date, it has been somewhat commercially unsuccessful in English-speaking territories.

[chrisx]

Nah

[LordMaim]

I love Yakuza. I've played all of them. A lot. But no, it isn't the same kind of game as GTA.

It *IS* however a Shenmue killer.

[FallenAngel1984]

Seriously? The entire series hasn't even sold pass 10 million since 2005 and you're really asking that?

[BG11579]

Well, you should have played japanese version's. Each time a port came to the US and Europe, the game got chunks cut out. Mostly a lot of mini-games that made the salt of this series.
It's probably not as large as GTA, it's not even the same genre of game. It's more like an action rpg were you are a Yakuza...

[tyasia0]

That's not true, the only game in the series that had any major cuts was Yakuza 3. 4,5 and Dead Souls were virtually uncut. I think in 4 there was one Japanese history trivia mini game they removed but that was it.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Yes as a fan of the series I'm not entirely sure that's true and somebody already mentioned it before me but Yakuza 3 I believe was the only game that have that issue.

[Why o why]

It doesn't need to be. 2 different lanes on the same motorway

[LordMaim]

tyasia0: Dead Souls could have used a few more cuts. Like... like the whole thing. Just cut it.

[Apocalypze]

Sales do not represent how good a game is by the way.... Cough cough ..DESTINY

[SirBradders]

Destiny is a brilliant game sunk 100's of hours in that bad boy.

[LordMaim]

@SirBradders: it was a solid FPS, and a very pretty treadmill.

[isarai]

Please don't, just don't. I LOVE the yakuza series but they couldn'e be any more different. That's like comparing Shenmue to Saints Row

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

What are you talking about?! They both have humans, they both have walking. They are perfect rivals.

[DragonDDark]

Cause I think some people didn't get it: /s

[ecchiless]

xD

[_-EDMIX-_]

Lol

[souljah45]

Perfect rivals? hmm ok like WWE2K16 and UFC? humans in a ring? same thing i suppose

[_-EDMIX-_]

Lol agreed.

Yakuza is definitely a Shenmue spiritual successor.

I have no clue why people continuously keep trying to compare it to GTA.

[BlakHavoc]

No lol. I'm excited to play it but no way does anything get in GTAs way when it releases. Those games sell 50+ million when they drop, no way anything is stopping that.

[SaveFerris]

The Yakuza series has better looking female NPCs (the hostesses).

[mafiahajeri]

Lmao

[Yohshida]

Because that matters the most, right?

[psplova]

The PLATINUM hostesses, maybe.. lol

[Gecksta]

1 2 switch will be a gta killer .

[BlakHavoc]

Lol for sure. Millions of ppl around the world excited to milk a cow.

[Livecustoms]

lol no.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

Is the new Legend Of Zelda a Kingdon Hearts killer?

[sullynathan]

hwat?

[BlakHavoc]

Zelda has always been more relevant than KH

@edmix
You seriously suggesting KH is more relevant than Zelda?

[_-EDMIX-_]

Lol I don't know about that bud

[Nathan_Hale53]

I see the joke. Guess the others can't tell sarcasm/jokes.

[franwex]

Aspergers Syndrome at it's finest

[joab777]

Uh...does it have a persistent online mode? And while taking place in the 80's is cool, it will be an issue for many younger players. That and unless it has a robust modding community, never gonna happen!

[Big_Game_Hunters]

Yakuza games have always been great, where is all this sudden attention to the series coming from? Personally i think Yakuza> GTA but come on... lets be real. They honestly aren't even the same type of games. GTA is more of a sandbox type game, while yakuza is more of a beat em up action game.

[BlakHavoc]

interesting perspective, I never cared about Yakuza but the recent reviews of 0 and how they've been highlighted have encouraged me to finally jump in. However I'm more open now to all sorts of games than I've ever been, could be that I'm just looking for good games wherever I can get them.

[_-EDMIX-_]

A lot of the attention from Yakuza is specifically coming from the series getting more versions in the West.

Yakuza 5 came last year Yakuza 0 clearly coming in the next couple days, the remake of Yakuza 1 is coming this summer, and Yakuza 6 coming to the West next year.

So in the last couple months I could understand the excitement for the series again.

Also I would categorize Yakuza as a beat'em up RPG because you are definitely getting a deep skill tree and building your character by grinding but a lot of that is optional.

[Inzo]

In Japan it will destroy GTA but in the western world Im sorry to say that in terms of sales it will be but a drop in the ocean.

[XXanderXX]

Only if it were a multiplatform, seeing how it isn't the answer is no . Also what is it with these can it be a blank killer. Hasn't this idiocy been discussed before think twice already .

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

how many copies sold on XBONE? 60,000 a stretch, why even bother.

But it will never be a GTA 'killee', just a fun game.

[XXanderXX]

Not a gran number but still a return and it being an eastern game makes that number a plus .

[_-EDMIX-_]

?

No bud.

I'm an absolutely huge fan of the series and I have been since its initial release for the PlayStation 2 this Series has never been anything near what Grand Theft Auto is in terms of popularity.

Like.... Never.

The Yakuza series struggles just to get a western version localized.... so how would they end up making it on multiple platforms?

PlayStation 4 owners in the west are lucky if we get the game localized so that alone should tell you this series clearly is not that popular to even be suggesting multi-platform.

So how can a game series that sells more units in Japan succeed on a system that is virtually absent in Japan? People are taking bets that the switch in the first 24 hours is going to outsell the lifetime units of the 360 and Xbox One combined Lol

So yea, no.

Yakuza is likely going to stay on one platform simply because it doesn't even sell well enough to bring it to multiple regions let alone multiple platforms , I'm still surprised Sega is bringing their next three entries to the West!!!

Also Sega tried with the Wii U to Branch out the series and it just didn't succeed.

[XXanderXX]

Answered to the best of understanding of the question.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Relax bud.

You have no real substantial answers to why this title going multi-platform would suddenly make it more successful than Grand Theft Auto.

Like I said , this game has trouble being localized on a single platform to multiple regions , so how would it be successful on multiple platform?

[XXanderXX]

Cool

[theshredded]

For me yes, GTAV and 4 were just underwhelming whereas Yakuza games were always good

[Majin-vegeta]

Finally someone who has the same feelings as me.GTA 4&5 just don't have that "Fun"factor that GTA 3,SA, had.Hell I got Sleeping Doges during this week's flash sale.And I've had more fun in that game than I did in the 10 hours I put I GTA4&5.

[sullynathan]

They weren't

[_-EDMIX-_]

The games are too different to compare

[sullynathan]

Trying to make a gta killer is a failure in itself

[DillyDilly]

Nothing will kill GTA & nothing will kill COD & nothing will be a Halo killer get this fact through your heads

[G20WLY]

You're right, nothing will be a Halo killer.

Halo is killing itself. :(

[sullynathan]

call of duty effectively killed halo, cod will die on its own

[_-EDMIX-_]

I'm sorry but I just can't say all that.

None of us know what the future is going to entail.

Once Upon a Time people thought nothing was going to beat Quake or Doom or nothing was going to outsell the milking of Medal of Honor.....

Halos current sales could tell you that those days are already over....

Don't be surprised when Destiny starts to become a bigger franchise.

[SirBradders]

COD is dying already, infinite warfare has the lowest numbers ever.
Halo died with reach.

GTA is a beast.

[TalesofEvil]

That's why companies should not make the same game every year.

[Ferrarius]

Very different in terms of gameplay. Yakuza is awesome though very unique.

[Razzer]

This is just stupid. GTA V alone has sold over 54 million copies.

[MajorLazer]

Over 70 Million actually. Insane, right?!

[JackieDrunken]

No. Not at all. But its fun series.

[Sharius]

they are completrly two different kind of game

[T2X]

No, it isn't.

[UgoGalimbertti]

It's nice that they add content, but gameplay-wise it's still a lot eastern. It's good to see eastern games like this and Sleeping dogs doing well around here, good dense open worlds. I'd say it's not there yet, in GTA killer status, but the evolution is noticeable and good for all of us

[Tetsujin]

It's basically GTA for the East, over here in the West not so much. From what I've seen I want to try the game out but I have to limit my spending this year. When there's a sale going on I'll give it a shot then.

I don't get why there's an open world game, and someone has to compare with either GTA, Fallout, and/or Skyrim. Just because they are known games don't mean they are "the end all" to genres of certain games.

[tyasia0]

Oh I hope not. I just want the game to sell enough in the west to justify them getting translated. The last thing I want is for the series to become popular here and have them start changing the games to appeal to western audiences.

Some things are better when they are niche.

[senorfartcushion]

No, can't wait to play it though.

Hopefully tomorrow and not Tuesday.

I want to "Raid 2" some people with a baseball bat.

[TheMutator]

In terms of gameplay, characters and story yes.

[Apocalypze]

In all fairness The Yakuza series deserves respect, it has tried hard to find success in the West but if gamers keep comparing it to GTA (Completly different game genre) it never will.

[Cherchez La Ghost]

Who approved this crap?!!! I see people just post any article here now a days.., SMDH!

[SweetLeafSmoker]

GTA V killed itself... Got bored with GTA V faster than any other GTA before it.

[cash_longfellow]

If anyone is the GTA killer, it's Rockstar, and the fact that there isn't another entry in sight.

[Tankbusta40]

They aren't going to make one for a long time, too many idiots keep giving them money for shark cards

[cash_longfellow]

So much this ^

[windblowsagain]

Nope.

Nothing kills GTA.

[FPS_D3TH]

So the author hasn't played one or the other then? There is no comparison to be made between the two unless you're only comparing the fact it's based on organized crime lol

[WilliamSheridan]

Nope... Moving on

[Shasdam]

The answer is: "No."

[cfc83]

No. GTA probably makes alot more cash from shark cards than Yakuza makes from their entire sales.

[PGRfox]

No

[JCW2005]

wtf kind of trash is this yasuka thing? rrly? jeez, troll article. game looks like it came on ps2.
Please let yasuza fade into obscurity, this franchise isn't necessary anymore ffs, we got shenmue 3 coming.

[Aloren]

Wouldn't it make more sense to ask if it's a shenmue killer ?

[No Way]

This is even a question? Maybe a Sleeping Dogs killer..

[Nodoze]

I am hopeful 0 will be very successful for them. Spurring them to remaster the other titles for PS4. I have eyed this series for some time, but for whatever reason never jumped in. I am going to start with 0, and I have a feeling I will like what I experience. Would love to grab more titles on PS4.

[Tankbusta40]

One is remastered and releasing in the West over the summer and 6 in 2018

[Tankbusta40]

Articles like this are stupid and Un necessary. The Yakuza series is VERY different than GTA and comparing them just gives people the wrong idea about Yakuza. Yakuza is much smaller, features no cars to drive and the combat is about brawling.

[Max-Zorin]

Apples and oranges.

[Godmars290]

Would think that it was its own separate and equal thing. GTA = Western gangster fetish, Yakuza = Eastern/Japanese gangster fetish.

[SarcasticDuck]

in related news: Is Tekken a Super Mario Kart killer?

[Chexs1990]

I'm waaay more into Yakuza than GTA, but that headline is just plain silly bro

[RedPill86]

Can people ask stupid questions? All this and more at 7.

It's GTA. Takes only a look at sales to see this isn't even a question.

[sambrar97]

No.

[lellkay]

No even slightly for me. I Just don't "get" it. The West/East barrier just stops me from being able to get anything from Yakuza. it ticks no boxes for me whatsoever. Each to their own though, if you like it, more power to you.

[MagicBeanz]

Gonna go with no on this one.

[franwex]

GTA is a parody of American culture, Yakuza is a...yakuza simulator...?

[glennhkboy]

Shenmue Killer may be a better comparison. I think Yakuza series fulfill the original promises of Shenmue.

[Profchaos]

No

[joethetimelord]

No, but from that picture it clearly has the better driving simulator.