Yakuza 3 Kiwami is currently fighting an uphill battle against its fans, as developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios seems to be blowing every possible opportunity. First, it managed to win over yakuza loyalists by ignoring the #RemoveKagawa movement, which sought to recast the character from Yakuza Kiwami 3 played by infamous Japanese actor Teruyuki Kagawa, who in 2022 admitted to sexually assaulting a hostess.
It then began to be revealed that some popular elements of the original Yakuza 3, such as the lighting scenes, were cut from the remake. Finally, fans of the game were further angered by the state of the game's demo, which revealed that the game lacked many of the improvements people had hoped for, and looked even worse than the original game in places thanks to unnecessary filters. Long story short, Yakuza fans aren't too happy with Kiwami 3 right now.
However, if you thought things couldn't get any worse for Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios and Sega, think again. Although there are no viable sources going around right now, it is claimed by dataminers that the ending of Yakuza Kiwami 3 has been drastically changed. They apparently know this because the game's entire script was found inside a recently released demo, and to say fans of the series are mildly concerned is an understatement. Warning, potentially heavy spoilers lie within.
The ending of Yakuza Kiwami 3 seems to have been leaked
Those who played the original Yakuza 3 will know that the game ends with a pretty dramatic battle at the top of the Millennium Tower, in which the game's main antagonist – Yoshitaka Mine – is thrown from the top of the tower, dragging the game's other antagonist – Andre Richardson – down with him.
Yakuza fans are boycotting Kiwami 3 over the new actor's recent sexual harassment controversy
Yakuza Kiwami 3 actor Teruyuki Kagawa publicly apologized in 2022 after being accused of beating and harassing a hostess.
I'm presumed dead and Kiru saves the day, only to be stabbed later by Goh Hamazaki, another of the game's villains. It's a dramatic scene, and sets up the beginning of Yakuza 4, which sees Saejima and Hamazaki escape from prison together. Unfortunately, it looks like Yakuza Kiwami 3 is set to change that.
If these script leaks are true, the Yakuza Kiwami 3 mine will apparently survive the fall from the Millennium Tower and be recruited by Daidoji, the faction that controls Kiryuu in Like a Dragon Gaiden. Not only that, but it's also claimed that Hamazaki has also been recruited by Daidoji, meaning he won't be jailed after stabbing Kiryu, thus putting the entire beginning of Yakuza 4 back under control.
This is a very dramatic change in the original story of Yakuza 3, and if Ryu Ga Gotoku continues to remake the old games, it could have huge implications for the rest of the series. Yakuza fans on social media have not taken the news well, deciding to either shut down the series altogether or react to the leak in various ways, with most of them fueled by anger.
Many of the complaints revolved around reviving old characters, lowering the stakes of the older games, while many pointed out that older Yakuza games had been removed in favor of newer titles, so there's a preservation aspect to the whole thing.
While it can be easy to feel all doom and gloom about this, it's worth taking with a pinch of salt. As far as I can see, there are no reliable sources, and the script has not actually been seen by the vast majority of complainers. While I can see Ryu Ga Gotoku bringing an old character back to life through comical means (it's already been done), it's worth keeping a cool head until we see the ending for ourselves. If the leaked ending is real, then go bonkers.
- issued
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February 11, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, In-Game Purchases
- developer(s)
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Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
