Over on the PlayStation Blog, Sega Localization Producer Scott Strichart has shared an entry going over what went into localizing the 50-hour Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. In it, he goes over little challenges that came up during the localization process.
For example, Strichart begins by talking about minigames. First is the Haruto comforting minigame. Sometimes, the baby gets upset and needs comforting. But hints as to how to make him happy again are spoken and the UI has no room for subtitles. So, Strichart and Sega needed to get creative about displaying those tips on screen. It also meant grasping subtle nuances in the Bar Conversation minigame. The literal translation resulted in answers that could have all worked, making it difficult to determine which one was the proper one.
The post then goes on to talk about Yakuza 6: The Song of Life’s funnier moments. In particular, Strichart talks about social commentary found in this installment. Kazuma Kiryu installs an assistant on his phone, like Siri or Cortana, in one substory. In another called “Like, Comment, Subscribe,” the game looks at the effect of social media on people’s lives.
In addition to the information on Yakuza 6: The Song of Life’s translation, there is a new trailer. This video offers a bit of a refresher, showing what has led up to this latest part of Kiryu’s life.
The Yakuza 6: The Song of Life cover art has also been revealed. Kiryu, Haruka, and Haruto all appear on the front of the game’s box.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will come to the PlayStation 4 in the Americas and Europe on March 20, 2018. It is immediately available in Japan.
