PS4's Yakuza 0 Release Date for North America and Europe Announced

Following a previous announcement that it would launch in early 2017, Sega today nailed down the release date for Yakuza 0.

The prequel is coming to North America and Europe on January 24, 2017 as a digital and physical release. Only the PS4 version is coming to the West; when it launched in Japan last year, it was available on both PS3 and PS4.

Yakuza 0 is set in 1988, prior to the events of the first game. It'll provide an early look at returning characters Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, the latter of which is playable for the first time in a core, numbered game.

"What lies in a man's past defines his future, and in this case, we learn a lot about what inspires Kiryu down the paths he takes in the rest of the Yakuza series," Sega said in a press release. "Plus, you don't get to be called 'Dragon' without being able to knock a few heads. Combat styles can be hot-swapped during fights for some of the most intense battles in the Yakuza series to date."

The press release also emphasized the importance of money and the decadence of Japan in the '80s, promising that "there are a million ways to spend, make, or take money. From cash spilling out of the pockets of gang members you fight to Telephone Clubs, Disco Halls, or even Pocket Circuit car races, there are tons of ways to be a well-to-do gangster."

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Sega announced last year that, in addition Yakuza 6, it's working on a remastered version of the first Yakuza. This hasn't been announced for a western release yet, though when asked in the comments of a new PlayStation Blog post about it, Sega's John Hardin said, "No plans right now, but we're definitely feeling the Yakuza love from you all after 5 and now 0." Yakuza 5 was released in North America and Europe last December and will be a free PlayStation Plus game for PS3 in August.

Hardin also teased a Day One edition of Yakuza 0 could be released.

For more, check out what director Toshiro Nogoshi had to say about Yakuza 0 at E3 and 20 minutes of gameplay we saw in June.