The Yakuza series is no stranger to, er, somewhat questionable side activities. Yakuza 0, for example, introduced a minigame in which you watch scantily clad women wrestle in an underground area and place bets on who you think will come out on top. We're not sure whether stuff like this goes down well with everyone, but the bottom line is that it's in the game and that it's usually optional.
Yakuza: Kiwami 2, which is due out this December in Japan, comes with a brand new minigame which sees series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu grab a camera and take photos of young women. For a photo shoot, obviously -- Kaz isn't some creepy stalker or anything like that.
Weirdly, the angle here is that the women in question aren't actually in the game -- the activity uses real life footage, much like the private video booths in the aforementioned Yakuza 0.
What do you make of this? Would it be Yakuza without questionable activities like this, or do you think this kind of stuff drags the experience down? Give an honest opinion in the comments section below.
Comments 30
Never change, Japan.
This is pure lulz let it be if it's in game it should stay in game.
It's purely optional, just like every other sidequest in the game. I swear everybody in the West needs to stop being so damn uptight about content in freaking video games. I think there's more important real life issues to worry about. Stuff like this, in an extremely niche game by the way, isn't going to turn all males into misogynists.
I approve of this content.
Its all in good fun, but imagine if they pulled a WBs and started adding micro transactions into these mini games...
The outrage would be incredible.
You want no questionable activities i guess dont buy a Japanese game yes i said it. But the movie yeah its nothing special.
@Flaming_Kaiser
To be fair, plenty of Western games with questionable side activities as well. Aside from sports games, I can only think of a few series I recommend if you want to avoid that stuff completely. Again though, it's not a big deal, in most games, including the Japanese ones, these things can be avoided entirely.
I just want to know if this game will be released outside of Japan at all, I can't get enough Yakuza games.
Amazing.
@shonenjump86
I remember hearing that Kiwami 2 is partially happening due to the series becoming more popular outside Japan, that and the fact that we've been getting all the other recent Yakuza's suggests we will.
@shonenjump86 Inevitable at this point I think. It launches in Japan in December, and Yakuza 6 launches over here in March next year. I'd bet on SEGA announcing Kiwami 2 localisation either after it hits Japan, or after we get Yakuza 6.
@shonenjump86
Starting with Yakuza 5, Sony and Sega have used the PlayStation Experience to announce if they're localizing the games. Wouldn't be shocked at all to see an announcement there, along with another trailer for Yakuza 6.
@Bagshot
About sums up the Western world.
Yeah, I'm sure the game will get a western release somewhere down the road. Thanks for the info, guys.
Don't really see a problem as long as it's out of pedophile territory. Fortunately there are some of us Westerners that don't act like prudes, but hey, thanks for the stereotyping from the comments above.
@Gamer83 Marginalizing the objectification of women is never "just get over it" as it's a cancer in our society. If has real life consequences and the proof is that you're okay with this stuff. As these types of things continue to show up in video games it is not a good sign. Mostly comments about it being "okay" come from males that are unaware their privilege and the impact this stuff has on girls and women.
Guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do to make some extra cash.
Seems silly for Sega to allow this on the localization. They are cutting off roughly 50% of potential customers as regardless of how you view this stuff yourself, its obvious that gamers like @starhops and @kidfried arent comfortable with it and I dont think it actually makes Sega more sales.
I had forgotten about the booth video side activities from yakuza zero when I reminisce which kind of proves my point. Although I did enjoy the chatline minigame.
Personally speaking, it's a weird one. When I write articles like this I never try to take an obvious side and leave it up for debate. It's great to see everyone discussing things with respect, by the way.
But yeah, I won't lie: I do tend to enjoy these over-the-top minigames in Yakuza. They're completely stupid but I think (or at least I like to think) that they add to the game's overall tone.
But then I'm speaking as a straight male who's reasonably interested in Japanese culture. I'm not going to pretend that I have the perspective of someone who finds this kind of stuff inappropriate — and I'm not going to act like that view is at all wrong, either.
If you enjoy these activities, fair enough. They're in the game, knock yourself out. If you think they're in bad taste, that's absolutely fine too.
@Gamer83 The Japanese are kinda King in these things and i have no problem with it i own a lot of Japanese games. And i still dont know what the problem is some adds on tv are less tastefull. And i love it when everyone is on his high horse and goes on a murderingspree in games in the most horrible ways.
They know their audience. I agree whomever said never change Japan
I've pondered this further after playing Yakuza 5 and I realized that these games are a slice of life, but also they want to give the player as much variety as possible. One minute your kicking peoples asses as a Yakuza, the next you're having a dance competition as a struggling pop idol. Yet this still is seemingly the same game. Maybe the series is a flagship for trying new diversions in that sphere and this is just an extension of it. Of Kaz isn't creepy he's one of the last virtuous gangsters. This probably adds a dimension to his personality that was missing in the original release. I hope this all going to build up to the west getting a non-neutered version of Yakuza 3. That's my two cents.
@starhops
Most of my friends who play these games and enjoy the content are minorities. I'm sure they, especially the black guys, would love to hear about the privilege they're enjoying in the United States these days. I'm ok with this stuff in games because just like Mortal Kombat didn't create millions of killers this stuff isn't going to make people go out and just start grabbing women. It's also part of the culture over there and given this game is very much steeped in that, well there you go.
@themcnoisy
And yet GTA, which has much, much more questionable content, is the best selling game in the industry. I don't agree, at all, with the sentiment that they should take stuff out just because it makes certain people, who probably still wouldn't be interested otherwise, uncomfortable. Do I think some of these kinds of activities are silly and something I won't be spending much time doing in the game? Absolutely, I'm actually more into the Yakuza games for the very underrated story, but I don't have a problem with it. Developers should be allowed to create what they want then let the free market decide.
@Gamer83 It's nice you feel you can talk about other groups of people and their experiences to justify your position. Sad, really. And comparing fighting games to killing to objectifying women is just silly. There are known studies that things like this in games marginalize the reality of objectification of women. It reinforces the behavior. It says it's okay. I'm a woman. I know this. I live this. Women get sexualized/abused no matter what color their skin may be. Male privilege is real.
Ok this is not the place for this kinda of discussions. There is no proof what so ever that games create child molesters, rapists or murders and in fact they dont. People are the way they are because they are that way.
Now if you wish to continue the debate please take it elseware. Thank you for understanding.
Well, it's a dirty job but someone's gotta do it.
As long as the woman posing is over the age of 18! It's weird how Japanese love having these women wear school uniform or some other attire associated with children...I feel like these fantasies promote paedophilia.
If you don't like the side activities, don't play them.
I see no problem with it. It's optional. It's likely to be 18 rated. How can you object to that but not mind killing people in games? I find most advertising and music videos bad as these are not specifically directed at a niche market and are available to pretty much everyone from birth.
Doesn't add to the game but it is something that is part of the culture in Japan (again something this game is steeped in) and is also easily avoidable in a game that is properly rated so decisions can be made by adults if their child should be playing it or not.
@JoeBlogs The side activity does seem superfluous to requirements but it fits in with the game world and it is optional. Adverts and music videos featuring scantily clad women are all too easy to come by just by watching TV. That's the problem as far as I am concerned. Why does a pop star need to be in her underwear? To sell more records as the music isn't good enough on it's own. Why is the woman in the shampoo advert prancing around in a bikini. Therefore the game is just an exaggerated mirror of the world in which we live. Until it stops in the real world it won't stop in media that reflects the world. Stick all pop stars in woolly jumpers and sell records off their own merit and show shampoo cleaning some burly biker's flowing mane before we start having a go at niche entertainment.
What makes this questionable? Was the footage of women stolen or obtained without the real womens consent?
I have no issues with stuff like this. The West (particularly) the US needs to stop being so up tight and puritanical about Men's and Women's sexuality.
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