Like Metal Gear Solid and Grand Theft Auto, the Yakuza series by Sega is an iconic franchise that has carved a niche for itself in the video game industry. Gamers familiar with the antics of anti-hero Kazuma Kiryu already know what to expect from Yakuza 0, Sega's prequel to its long-running, mafia-style action adventure title -- intense combat; deep character development; and a very large sandbox... more.

Dateline, Dec. 9, 1988. Japan's bubble economy is in full swing, and so are the vices and expensive tastes of its denizens, and everybody has a price in Yakuza 0, the pre-quel to SEGA's long-running series. The fictional red-light districts of Kamurocho, Tokyo and Sotenbori, Osaka are bursting at the seams for enterprising young criminals to make or take some serious stacks of yen, be it beating ... more.

With Christmas around the corner it only seemed right for us to make a Yakuza 0 vlog that encapsulates the spirit of this magical time. Christmas is all about giving, so some folks from Marketing and Production sat down and decided to give each other their business cards. Oh look at the time. I have to return some videotapes, so check out the video below and have a holly jolly Christmas! Make s... more.

There's a reason why the main characters of Yakuza 0 will eventually be known as the "Dragon of Dojima" and "Mad Dog of Shimano," and it probably has something to do with the way they talk with their fists. While the streets of Kamurocho and Sotenbori are alive with plenty of nightlife to indulge in, it's also teeming with lowlifes and rivals to "deal with." This time around, Kiryu and Majima e... more.

In 2005, a legend was born on the PlayStation 2 - the legend of Kazuma Kiryu, the Dragon of Dojima, in his video game debut with Yakuza. Now, 11 years after that release, a new generation of players will be able to experience the incomparable action and drama of the Yakuza series with the rebuilt-from-scratch HD remake exclusive to PlayStation 4, Yakuza Kiwami. And "rebuilt from scratch" is not ju... more.

Just because Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima have a lot at stake in Yakuza 0, doesn't mean that they won't have time for fun. Getting back into the good graces of the Yakuza is exhausting, but thankfully 1980s Japan is the perfect setting for all the excess and vice one could hope for! Alluring flashing lights and neon signs adorn the numerous entertainment establishments that line the streets of th... more.

Fans of the Yakuza series are very familiar with the unhinged Goro Majima, but Yakuza 0 shows a glimpse of his life before he was known as the "Mad Dog" of the Shimano Family. Since the game is a prequel to the series, you'll first meet Majima as a disgraced member of the Tojo Clan running the magnificent Grand Cabaret in Sotenbori, Osaka as a civilian. Due to a past transgression, his bosses h... more.

Yakuza 0 is one of the best jumping in points for those new to the series, but there's still a little bit of legwork to figure out what's going down in Kamurocho (the fictional red light district of the Yakuza series) when players take control of protagonist Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima next year. So we sat down the SEGA of America clan patriarc...er, localization producer Scott Strichart and h... more.

Putting the term "organized" in "organized crime" means one thing and one thing only: Taking care of business. And in Yakuza 0's 1988-era Tokyo, business is BOOMING. And I say that with zero hyperbole because Yakuza 0's main protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu goes from debt collector (the physical kind) to real estate mogul within the red-light district of Kamurocho. Or in Goro Majima's case, the manage... more.

Behind the decadent glitz and glamour of 1980s Japan lies an underworld of money, sin, and above all else... opportunity. Anything and everything is ripe for the taking, but always remember that more money inexorably leads to more problems. And for Yakuza 0's two protagonists, Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, the problems are just starting. And their problems will become players' problems when SEG... more.