The Examiner has since run an update, explaining those remarks were not “official SEGA statements.” The Examiner adds, “SEGA still hasn’t made any mention of an upcoming release or revealed plans to release it stateside.”

PS3 exclusive Yakuza 3 (AKA Ryu Ga Gotoku 3) was released in Japan last February, selling over 200,000 copies in its first day.

Yakuza 3 US release date announced: Never [The Examiner Thanks, Tony!]

In an interview in the upcoming Famitsu, the very tanned Toshihiro Nagoshi reveals the development on another Yakuza title. Nagoshi says that it doesn’t mean this is Ryu Ga Gotoku 4, but he wants the game to have the essence of Ryu Ga Gotoku. “For example,” the designer says, “If main character Kiryu Kazuma went to outer space or fought zombies, I think fans would accept that and say, ‘I get it.’”

He wants to have players wonder what is going to happen in the next Ryu Ga Gotoku. “It’s not KENZAN 2,” Nagoshi assures. “I want to create a new style of game set in contemporary surroundings.” Ryu Ga Gotoku KENZAN! was set in Edo-era Kyoto, but the other titles have been set in modern day Japan. All of the ideas that have been saved up until this point will apparently find their way into this new, more immersive title.

Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 and the previous Yakuza titles had elaborate promotional campaigns. Nagoshi is thinking about how to promote the new title, and one concept he has is called “Everyone Can Participate” to fill out the game’s cast. Starting on May 8, SEGA will begin accepting applications for 18 years-old-and-up female night club hostess-type characters. SEGA is also planning to accept applications from males; however, age is not important.

“This title will be a PLAYSTATION 3 game,” says Nagoshi. All Yakuza titles have been PlayStation exclusives.

The DLC content is a total of 29 items and is being released over the course of eight weeks. What kind of content? Stuff like new outfits for you characters. Fancy a walk through Tokyo in a bathing suit with a man dressed as a Mexican wrestler?

Besides the item packs, there are also mission packs. The DLC ends with this newest bundle. Since Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 has been automatically updating each time the PS3 is connected to the internet, keeping up has been a cinch.

第八弾 　4月23日配信コンテンツ [Ryu Ga Gotoku.com via チラシの裏でゲーム鈍報]

PS3 exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 is a smash hit. The game sold 372,000 copies in its first week and is one of the biggest selling copies on the PLAYSTATION 3.

The game has in-game tie-ups with 27 different companies, including a karaoke parlor, a sake distillery and a tanning salon. The voice cast boasts some of Japan’s biggest stars, and a theme song by popstar Eikichi Yazawa. The game also features model Rina Sakurai, who I interviewed for Arcade Mania.

SEGA announced today that over 500,000 copies of the game have been shipped.

SEGA’s PS3 exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 is a smash. Lots of people have bought it — including suspended former flyweight fighter Daiki Kameda.

On his official blog, Kameda posted that he’s got Ryu Ga Gotoku 3, writing, “The game I’ve been waiting for. My pops bought it for me! Weeell, gonna play! Catch later!!”

Kameda is the second eldest of the three Kameda brothers, which is Japan’s most famous boxing family. In 2007, the Osaka-born Daiki said he would commit seppuku if he lost to WBC flyweight champ Daisuke Naito.

During the bout, Kameda (pictured, then with dyed blonde hair) began elbowing and body slamming Naito out of frustration. Kameda lost and was banned from professional boxing for one year because of his fight conduct. He did not commit seppuku after the fight. His father, who was his trainer, had his licence revoked and stepped down as his trainer.

今日からスタート [Kameda Bros.] [Pic]

Toshihiro Nagoshi, designer of SEGA’s Ryu Ga Gotoku, hinted that the game sold 300,000 copies. It’s sold more, way more. Just released official numbers put it at 372,000 copies sold.

The game’s success also meant a huge PS3 spike. During the Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 debut week, sales of the PLAYSTATION 3 jumped 225 percent to 35,000 units. (Note: This sales data is early.)

This means that Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 falls second to the numbers MGS4 posted in its first week.

In its second week, MGS4 sales dropped 86 percent. If Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 dropped by the same percent, that would mean the game could break the 400,000 copies sold barrier in its second week.

How does Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 stack up against the first week sales of the prequels?

Ryu Ga Gotoku: 130,000 copies
Ryu Ga Gotoku 2: 282,000 copies
Ryu Ga Gotoku KENZAN!: 178,000 copies
Ryu Ga Gotoku 3: 372,000 copies

Remember, Ryu Ga Gotoku KENZAN! is not Yakuza 3. Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 is Yakuza 3.

PS3「龍が如く3」初週で約35万本を販売、他 [忍之閻魔帳]

PS3 exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) went on sale February 26. How’d it do? Let’s hear what its designer, the very tanned Toshihiro Nagoshi, has to say:

First and foremost, it sold 300,000 copies.
Thank you very much.

Nagoshi’s post is quite terse, and he doesn’t explicitly say Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 sold 300,000 copies, and hints at more to come next week.

If this figure is correct, it would mean that Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 has already debuted in the top ten PS3 game life-to-date sales. As impressive as 300,000 copies sold, it falls short of PS3 first week Japanese big boss Metal Gear Solid 4. The stealth action game shifted 465,000 units.

ありがとうございます。 [とりあえず乾杯デショ via シロイブログ]

The latest in an endless string of Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) game promotions: Japanese liquor.

Seifuku Distillery has crafted Ryu Ga Gotoku alcohol. It comes in two types: Japanese sake with plums and Okinawa’s strong island sake awamori.

Awamori is potent stuff and often sold at 60 proof.

A bottle of the Ryu Ga Gotoku awamori is priced at ¥1,100 (US$11.40), while the plum sake is priced at ¥1,600 ($16.50). Both are available in Okinawa from February 26 and in the rest of Japan from March 2.

The latest Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) ads don’t just feature gameplay, but a bigger selling point — well, for us at least.

The game’s ridiculously tanned Toshihiro Nagoshi skips stones with the game’s hero Kazuma Kiryu and talks about the PS3’s “power of expression.” Kazuma Kiryu says how importance belief is.

The first part of the ad offers a sample of song “Loser,” and original composition by singer songwriter Eikichi Yazawa.

Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 looks great. Blue Sega skies, hostesses, fisticuffs and tanning salons? Yes. Please. Alas, a Western release may never happen, so this demo might be as close as you get.

Perhaps to celebrate the game receiving a mighty 38/40 (9/10/9/10) in Japanese mag Famitsu, but probably just to drum up a little more interest in the title, Sega have announced that a demo will go live on the Japanese PlayStation Store tomorrow, February 19.

The PS3 being region-free and all, those of you savvy enough to create a Japanese PSN account can get your download on. Those not savvy enough? Read this handy guide, it’ll get you savvy.

龍がPS Storeに舞い降りる！ 『龍が如く3 体験版』が明日配信に [Dengeki]