Some fans have called for a boycott of Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties over Teruyuki Kagawa’s casting as Goh Hamazaki, but available reporting does not establish that the fanbase broadly boycotted the game or that the campaign affected sales. The controversy behind the calls dates to 2022; the casting and boycott advocacy surfaced around the game’s 2025 announcement and promotion.
What are fans objecting to?
Boycott coverage from GamesHub says Kagawa was cast as Goh Hamazaki and reports a petition calling for his removal, alongside calls not to buy the game. Those are documented acts of advocacy, not evidence that the entire Yakuza audience agrees or has stopped buying it.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties - Xbox Series X | $43.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Yakuza Like a Dragon Day Ichi Steelbook Edition Xbox One | Series X Game | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions | $8.28 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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WizKids Kyushi Yakuza Shadowrun Action Figure Game | $14.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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The calls refer to a controversy reported in 2022, rather than an incident newly reported alongside the game’s release. In August 2022, The Japan Times reported that Kagawa apologized after a report alleged he groped a hostess. That is the allegation and response established by the cited coverage; it should not be described as a criminal conviction.
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SEGA announced Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties on September 24, 2025. The company described Kiwami 3 as a reimagining of Yakuza 3 and Dark Ties as a new story. Its announcement listed PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam, with a February 12, 2026 release date: SEGA’s announcement.
#1 Best Overall
- A LEGEND IS REBORN AND A NEW LEGACY BEGINS: Two men will walk different paths that converge to shake the very foundations of fate.
- Yakuza Kiwami 3: Continue the story of ex-yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as he fights to protect those he loves in an extreme remake of Yakuza 3 that evolves every aspect of the beloved game.
- Dark Ties: Experience the brand-new tale of Yoshitaka Mine from Yakuza 3 in an included separate game.
SEGA subsequently announced the game was out on February 12, 2026: SEGA’s release announcement. The platform announcement does not establish physical editions or current retailer availability in any particular region.
How has the director addressed the casting?
GameSpot, relaying an interview with director Ryosuke Horii, reported his explanation: “We tried to think of someone who makes you go, ‘This guy’s a creep.’” The remark frames the casting as a fit for Hamazaki’s characterization; it does not resolve the objections raised by people who want Kagawa removed or are urging a boycott. GameSpot’s report attributes the explanation to Horii, rather than presenting it as a SEGA corporate statement.
Rank #2
- Become ichiban kasuga, a Yakuza grunt betrayed by the man he trusted most
- crack skulls in dynamic RPG combat
- the battlefield is your weapon - Use bats, Umbrella, bikes, street Signs, and everything else at your disposal to take down your enemies
- Recruit up to 7 party members from the outskirts of society
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Is there evidence of a large-scale boycott or sales impact?
The cited coverage establishes that boycott calls and a petition were reported. It does not provide a verified count of participants or petition signatures, nor does it establish a sales effect attributable to the campaign. SEGA’s February 12, 2026 announcement cited 27.7 million worldwide sales for standalone games in the Like a Dragon franchise; that franchise-wide figure is not sales of Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties and says nothing about boycott participation or impact.
Post-release coverage, including PC Gamer’s report, is not by itself evidence that a boycott changed sales. Without reliable participation or sales data tied to the campaign, “some fans are calling for a boycott” is more precise than saying fans as a whole are boycotting.
Rank #3
What can players do?
Players can make their own purchasing decision: buy the game as released, wait while seeking more information, or skip it because of the casting. The available reporting does not show that any of these individual choices, or the calls already reported, produced a measurable commercial result.
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Rank #4
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