According to film adaptation for Ghost of Tsushima, Sony also unveiled the title's sales milestone of 6.5 million copies sold worldwide. This certainly suggests an increased interest in ancient Japan that could open the door for a wider release of Yakuza's lesser-known entries.
The franchise boasts two samurai-era spinoffs - 2008's Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan, which takes place in the early 17th Century, and 2014's Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin, set during the Bakumatsu period between 1853 and 1867. Both titles were released on Yakuza's arrival on Xbox platforms could mean such hopes aren't beyond the realm of possibility.
In a recent interview with French publication Gameblog, relayed by The Tojo Dojo, Yakuza producer Daisuke Sato said he wanted to release Kenzan and Ishin in the west long before Ghost of Tsushima took the world storm. However, the focus on remastering several Yakuza titles for PlayStation 4 kept pulling the team away from such an endeavor. Sato now believes Ghost of Tsushima's success could serve as proof positive that western audiences are eager for more samurai-era interactive experiences. He told Gamblog the following:
"Even long before Ghost of Tsushima, I did want to release 'samurai' games like Kenzan and Ishin in the West. Unfortunately, after Yakuza 0, we were very busy with remastering the numbering Yakuza titles for the PS4, so we missed the opportunity to work on some of these other games. However, if anything, Ghost of Tsushima has helped Western gamers become more interested in samurai, so I should think of it as now is a more opportune time to release these titles."
Interestingly, this isn't Sato's first time speaking about the potential for English versions of Kenzan and Ishin. After current-gen versions of Yakuza spinoff Judgement in February, Sato said he'd like to localize the samurai titles if possible, especially since they feature the franchise's best combat. The producer noted, however, that a "simple port" likely wouldn't suffice for either entry due to their age. Full-on remakes could complicate any decision made about localization possibilities, though.
Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima hit the ground running last summer, quickly becoming a top-selling PS4 title in several markets around the world, including Japan. Months after delivering a quality single-player experience, the developer launched Legends - a free co-op mode that continues to garner praise.
Ghost of Tsushima is available to play now on PS4 and PS5.
Source: Gameblog via The Tojo Dojo
