Yakuza Kiwami 3 Details Dark Ties Story and New Mechanics

Ryu Ga Gotoku has shared additional details about the upcoming Yakuza Kiwami 3, and its brand new Dark Ties story.

The game is set to launch on February 12, 2026 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

You can learn the new details below.

New in Yakuza Kiwami 3

Dragon of Dojima: Kiwami Style Combat – Players can now enjoy the most attack techniques in the series' history and brand-new Heat Abilities in addition to fan favourites from the original Yakuza 3. 

Ryukyu Style Combat – Rooted in Okinawan martial arts, this battle style’s base stance utilises a tinbe and rochin, a traditional shield and short spear. Simply mash or hold down the buttons to weave in flashy sai, nichogama, tonfa, tekko, nunchaku, eiku, and surujin attacks. Kiryu can power up by maxing out his gauge and activating his Dragon Boost. 

Ability Upgrades – Kiryu's ability upgrades now give him access to his most diverse skill set to date. Complete missions and undergo training to mold Kiryu as you see fit or customise his cell phone to boost his motivation, taking his abilities to new heights.

New in Dark Ties

Mine’s Story –The year is 2007. Yoshitaka Mine had once launched a successful startup, only to be stabbed in the back by a trusted partner. Wandering Kamurocho in a drunken stupor, he witnesses a gruesome conflict between yakuza factions. After watching a subordinate of Daigo Dojima sacrifice themselves, Mine longs to discover what makes a bond transcend material gain. He approaches Tsuyoshi Kanda of the Tojo Clan's Nishikiyama Family in hopes of learning more about Daigo. Kanda welcomes him in as his sworn brother and right-hand man. Working in tandem, they bring significant wealth into the family's coffers. Soon, the Tojo Clan catches wind of Mine and Kanda's actions and springs into action. As Mine and Kanda navigate their way through this crisis, Mine begins to feel a sense of kinship toward Kanda and shortly after receives a sudden invitation from Daigo Dojima.

Ruthless Combat – An elegant fighting style based on shoot-boxing, players can exploit openings in their opponent's defence to deliver refined combos and beat down enemies, and dash freely through the air to overwhelm foes with unpredictable movement. 

Dark Awakening Mode – Mine builds up his Shackled Heart by attacking enemies and can spend it to trigger Dark Awakening, a mode that empowers Mine. Using Dark Awakening, Mine drops his facade, revealing his true ferocity and transforming his battle animations and techniques. Mine possesses many stylish, cold-blooded Heat Actions, including an all-out barrage to the face and a brutal gut punch. 

Ability Upgrades – Mine's upgrades refine his combat abilities, improving his techniques and unlocking mid-air Heat Actions. A number of upgrades to Dark Awakening are also available.

About:

YAKUZA KIWAMI 3

Yakuza Kiwami 3 tells the story of Kazuma Kiryu and his adoptive daughter Haruka Sawamura who have planted roots in the tropical Japanese prefecture of Okinawa to run the Morning Glory Orphanage. But when both the government and the yakuza set their sights on beachfront property, Kiryu finds that to defend the things he cares about, he must fight and sacrifice. Can Kiryu rescue the orphanage and escape his past for good?

Rebuilt from the ground up, Yakuza Kiwami 3 evolves several aspect of the beloved title with new cutscenes and new side experiences to make Okinawa and Kamurocho even more exciting and entertaining. Additional highlights include:

• Ultimate Brawler Experience – Players can now swap between two powerful fighting styles: “Dragon of Dojima: Kiwami,” a brawling action style overflowing with power and an unmatched sense of dominance featuring the largest number of attack techniques in the series’ history; and the new “Ryukyu Style,” a thrilling and technical weapon-based action style inspired by traditional Okinawan weapon arts that allows players to unleash a wide variety of combo techniques using eight different types of weapons. Both battle styles combine for the ultimate brawler experience!
  
  
• “Legendary Baddie, Bad Boy Dragon”– a team battle mode where players aim to build the ultimate biker gang and fight alongside the Ryukyu Gal Gang, a group of lady bikers out to protect the streets of Okinawa.

DARK TIES

Dark Ties is a brand-new story that features Yoshitaka Mine, one of Kiryu’s formidable foes from Yakuza 3 as the protagonist. This story depicts the events leading up to Yakuza 3, shedding light on Mine’s origins, his search for unwavering bonds, and the path that led him, once the head of a venture company, to be immersed in the world of the yakuza. Highlights include:

• All-New Experience – for the first time ever, fans can play as Mine. Battle foes with a stylish yet refined combat system centered around boxing, explore the streets of Kamurocho, and see the usually cool-headed Mine cut loose and have fun.
  
  
• “Dark Awakening” mode – unleash Mine’s inner darkness in battle, triggering a rampage with ruthless, relentless combos, and finishing foes with a decisive strike infused with the power of darkness.
  
  
• “Hell’s Arena” – an underground fight club where players can enjoy fights under a variety of unique rules. In “Survival Hell” mode, players will fight their way through an underground dungeon, enduring relentless assaults from numerous hunters, to reach the goal and clear the challenge.

 
Pre-Order

Fans who pre-order Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties (physical or digital) will receive the exclusive “Ryukyu Gal Gang – Ichiban Legendary Lad” DLC as a bonus. This adds the popular series character Ichiban Kasuga to the “Ryukyu Gal Gang” within the new “Legendary Baddie, Bad Boy Dragon” mode. 

The Digital Deluxe edition gives players access to a variety of additional content, including more characters for the “Ryukyu Gal Gang,” customization items, extra BGM tracks, and more. Contents include:

• DLC Legendary Outfit Pack
• DLC Legendary Lads & Gals Pack
• DLC Ryukyu Gal Gang Customization Pack
• DLC Flip Phone Customization Pack
• DLC Legendary BGM CD Set 

A Digital Deluxe Upgrade — including all Digital Deluxe DLC content — will also be available as an option for those who purchase the Standard Edition. For more details on the game, pre-order bonus, editions, and more, please visit the official Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties webpage by clicking HERE.

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