True to its name, the new Dark Ties spin-off game launching together with Yakuza Kiwami 3 in February 2026 will deliver the Like a Dragon series’ darkest narrative to date, according to chief producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto and director Ryosuke Horii.
Dark Ties is a full-length side game that casts Yakuza 3’s popular villain Yoshitaka Mine as the protagonist, telling his backstory against the series’ familiar Kamurocho setting. Talking to GameWatch in a recent interview, the developers say that, with Mine taking the role of the main playable character, the key concept of the title was depicting what makes him “Mine.” While Yakuza 3’s protagonist Kiryu fights out of a sense of justice and helps people in need – that’s not the case with Mine, Horii comments.
“He’s a gangster, and he’s a character steeped in loneliness and madness. He’s not the type to go out of his way to help others, yet if someone pleads with him, he might step in. We’re very conscious of capturing these unique sides of Mine as we work on the game.” Given this objective, Dark Ties will be an introspective, Mine-centric game, Horii explains. Instead of focusing on a wider range of characters, the game will shine a spotlight on Mine’s inner monologues and self-questioning.
“It’s not exactly a journey of self-discovery, but as Mine sinks deeper into despair, the core question becomes whether the thing he’s looking for truly exists in the world of the yakuza. While characters like Kanda and others are involved too, ultimately, it’s a story about Mine confronting himself. I think that makes it something very new.”
Like a Dragon series producer Sakamoto also adds, “I’d say it’s the darkest story in the entire series. Up until now, the narratives have revolved around former or retired yakuza helping others or fighting to protect something. But with Mine, it’s really a descent deeper and deeper into darkness. The choices he makes about how to live his life make the tone of this story particularly dark compared to the rest of the series, which might be a refreshing shift.”
While recent Like a Dragon entries like Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii leaned more towards craziness and humor, it seems Dark Ties will take a definitive step into heavier themes with its morally grey protagonist. Interestingly, the new spin-off was originally envisioned as just a viewable movie, but the Like a Dragon team decided the opportunity to turn Mine into a playable character was too valuable to pass up.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties launches on February 12 for PC (Steam), PS5/PS4, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S.
