Hostess Bars And Quiz Game Cut From Yakuza 3

By Spencer . February 24, 2010 . 1:31am

Hostess Bars And Quiz Game Cut From Yakuza 3On the plus side, Yakuza 3 is being localized, but not all of it. Sega removed hostess bars and a quiz mini-game.

 

Strip bars are still in so the hostess bars weren’t cut due to sexual content. It sounds like Sega was expediting localization and didn’t have time to localize text heavy hostess chats and Answer X Answer.

 

“The content between Yakuza 3 US/UK and Yakuza JP is a little different in that we took out certain bits in order to bring the game to the west in the time alloted for us to do so. The parts we ended up taking out were parts that we felt wouldn’t make sense (like a Japanese history quiz game) or wouldn’t resonate as much (such as the concept of a hostess club),” a Sega representative explained to IGN.

 

The rep swears these changes won’t alter the story and you can still date hostesses, just not at hostess bars. Yakuza 2, if I remember correctly, had the hostess bars called “cabaret clubs” in the North American version. You could manage them and even become a host. Sega felt the content “resonated” and was worth localizing then, but now, perhaps under a tight deadline, these bits got the axe.


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  • kupomogli

    You do know how much Yakuza 1 and 2 sold in the US right? Yakuza 2 sold 50,000 copies within 2009. That's it. That's in three years.

    Companies like Namco won't even localize the next Radiant Mythology even though the first title sold over 150,000. Over 150,000 ON THE PSP.

    Now companies are always out to make money, it's obvious, but Sega has multiple other games they could have set their sites on to localize. But why did they pick Yakuza 3, part of one of their lowest selling franches ever to be released in the US? There was so many fans begging the game to be released and this is honestly one of the only times I've seen a company really give the fans what they want.

    Did you know that Phantasy Star Portable has been out for more than a year in the US and between US sales only, Phantasy Star Portable has more sales than both Yakuza and Yakuza 2 put together?

    Now back to them making money. They decided to cut by far the least amount in the game. Answer x Answer if it was still included is guaranteed that you'd use a guide to play it. Shogi and Mahjong? If you were a Yakuza fan then you'd already own Yakuza 2 and those two wouldn't matter much. Mahjong and Shogi were also games most of the fanbase disliked regardless.

    This brings us to the club management and the hostess bars. I loved both. However, they are very minor parts in the game. The fact that even with the small bits of content cut, the game still has more content than any other game with a March release date aside from possibly FF13.

  • rhyth

    bummer, maybe SEGA can compensate by making dlc or extras, how about a ryo hazuki for u all shenmue fans. if this happens means SEGA listen to us or SCREW U SEGA WHERES MY JSRF PS3 ARGHHHHHH!!!!!

  • thebanditking

    Thats cool, you obviously have the ability to make such a decision. My point is that those who can't read or understand Japanese should still pick up the US release as its still a fantastic game even without the hostess bars.

  • thebanditking

    I know I just seen that. Yakuza 4 looks amazing, I just hope its gets localized, as I never learned how to read Japanese.

  • thebanditking

    On the contrary I think alot of Westerners “get” XIII. I don't think all of the game journalists do but as a whole I think most understand what he was shooting for its just that some don't think he achieved that goal.

    I hope people dont blame Akira Toriyama for their disappointment with FF13, that would be terrible.

  • daizyujin

    You mean it is logical and in dire need because it agrees with your own?

    I see your logic.

  • daizyujin

    Man dude, you need to shut your pie hole and cut the insults. Nobody wants to hear them.

  • Em666

    >> Sega said before to localize a game like this it takes between 600 and 700k. Thats a huge investment for a game if you not sure its sales will at least make the investment break even.

    If you believe SEGA then yes that is a HUGE investment.
    But I have worked in the localization field, and that figure is probably valid only after factoring in, doing a PROPER localization.

    I.e. English voice dub, full text translation of ALL the content and doing any possible cultural “art” changes(like no upside down crosses, swaztikas, etc…)

    In the case of Yakuza 3, they don't need to redo any voice overs, just text. The biggest constraint I can see is not so much budget but the limited amount of time they allocated to do the project(Can you say AFTERTHOUGHT?). The localization figure probably includes the paying the sales people overseas, play testers etc.. Even so those wages are divided between platforms/games, so I really doubt it would cost 700K US$ to do this localization port. I don't doubt you, rather I doubt the SEGA representative.

    The cut stuff could probably be done via DLC(paid) in the future if they want to. I think SEGA should have lowered their price of the game as a concession to the US gamers.

    Oh Well to each there own,… I am glad SEGA ported over the Valkyrie Chronicles EDY special pack (I play in Japanese voice so I don't mind the lack of English voice content) and that they listened to fans and are bringing Yakuza 3 over (despite it being a lesser product than the original).

  • StealthKnight

    If the content was so small, why didn't they translate the text instead or even do a crappy Google text translation. Sure it may be as professional but the fans would be satisfied with it for this game only. I do wonder how much extra would it really cost them.

    People don't like losing content because while it may not be big to you and maybe not to me, but it feels like some corners where cut. Not to mention the western excuse was weak and deceptive. Sure,I would buy the game if I had a ps3 but if they were to do this again then it would be unacceptable.

  • inarborat

    3 years? Yakuza 2's only been out since September 2008. Released 2 years after the J-version, with very little advertising on a somewhat dead platform, and after the Wii, 360, and PS3 had been out for more than 2 years. They failed with that release and they're going to fail again, miserably. I love the games but I can't support a neutered game just so I may, might have a chance to play Yakuza 4. Sega said “cut content or no game.” Nice PR work there.

    Also, the budget of $700,000 seems a little ridiculous but think about this. Sega will probably earn $25-30 on each game sold. Sell 50,000 copies (and it will sell more, the demo has helped a lot and Yakuza finally had some hype in the West) and they're raking in 1.5 million. That makes them money, not a lot but they see a return on their investment. Granted, I know the numbers and costs are a lot more complicated but you get the idea. Sega is unique with this title because they're the dev and the publisher. A bigger slice of the pie for them.

    I'm not buying the game unless the content comes back with DLC. It's disappointing to say the least. But, I'll have Heavy Rain, God of War III, and Dragon Age: Awakening to mend my heart. At this point, I don't even care about Yakuza 4.

  • inarborat

    3 years? Yakuza 2's only been out since September 2008. Released 2 years after the J-version, with very little advertising on a somewhat dead platform, and after the Wii, 360, and PS3 had been out for more than 2 years. They failed with that release and they're going to fail again, miserably. I love the games but I can't support a neutered game just so I may, might have a chance to play Yakuza 4. Sega said “cut content or no game.” Nice PR work there.

    Also, the budget of $700,000 seems a little ridiculous but think about this. Sega will probably earn $25-30 on each game sold. Sell 50,000 copies (and it will sell more, the demo has helped a lot and Yakuza finally had some hype in the West) and they're raking in 1.5 million. That makes them money, not a lot but they see a return on their investment. Granted, I know the numbers and costs are a lot more complicated but you get the idea. Sega is unique with this title because they're the dev and the publisher. A bigger slice of the pie for them.

    I'm not buying the game unless the content comes back with DLC. It's disappointing to say the least. But, I'll have Heavy Rain, God of War III, and Dragon Age: Awakening to mend my heart. At this point, I don't even care about Yakuza 4.

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