In all honesty, we all knew it was coming. After years of Kiryu Kazuma being the hardest working character in the game, Ryu Ga Gotoku (RGG) Studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama finally dropped the hammer: With Yakuza Kiwami 3, the Kiwami series is officially taking a nap (forever). No Kiwami 4 where we get to relive the 'Rubber Bullet' incident in 4K (thank god!).

 

If you want to know why 'Kiwami' is being waved at, and what the 'New Series' actually means, grab a Staminan X and buckle up. We’re going deep into the RGG Multiverse.

The Kiwami Branch Out : RGG’s Version of ‘Flashpoint Paradox’

The biggest piece of information that every publication is missing is the fact that Kiwami 3 isn’t just a facelift - it’s a canon reset. Yokoyama hinted that players will understand the 'new direction' once they play Kiwami 3. They are revising the absolute chaos of the late-2000s writing. In the original Yakuza 3 (2009), the plot was a weird cocktail of CIA twins, political exposition, and a certain character (looking at you, Yoshitaka Mine) falling off a roof.

 

By ending the 'Kiwami' angle here, RGG realized that the 'Classic Timeline' (Yakuza 4-6) is a bit of a narrative cover-up involving rubber bullets and more that no one asked for. Kiwami 3 is the 'Divergence Point'. It’s where they clean up the mess, bring together the Daidoji Faction (those shadowy Illuminati people), and potentially keep some fan-favorite characters alive (who definitely shouldn't be).

Why 'Kiwami 4' Won't Haunt Us

Reddit is currently in a state of mourning over the lack of a Kiwami 4, but let’s be real: why would they...even?

 

The original Kiwami was necessary because Yakuza 1 on the PS2 had a super-sluggish gameplay. Kiwami 2 fixed the clunky combat mechanics. But Yakuza 4 and 5? Those games already have "Remastered" versions that run at 60fps and don't hurt your eyeballs.

 

RGG has realized that remaking Yakuza 5 - a game that is 20% fighting, 30% driving a taxi, and 50% of weird dance training - would probably cause their entire dev team to quit and join a real-life Yakuza clan just for the peace and quiet. The 'Kiwami' tech gap has closed. They’re moving on to bigger, weirder things.

The 'New Series' - What Are They Smoking at RGG?

Yokoyama mentioned a "new series on a different line, with a different meaning." This is code for "We’re bored of just punching people in Kamurocho."

 

While the internet is crying that 'Ichiban is dead' (our guess is that he’s probably stuck in a weird dungeon somewhere), the smart money is on a 'Young Kiryu' prequel series or a Daidoji-centric story. Think about it: 'Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii' exists. At this point, RGG could announce a turn-based cooking simulator starring Majima and we’d all pre-order the Ultimate Edition. They are moving away from the "numbered sequel" fatigue and into a "Choose Your Own Spin-off" multiverse (for the good).

Our Verdict : Let the Dragon Sleep (For Like, Five Minutes)

The 'Kiwami' line ending with the third game is the best thing that could happen to the franchise. It allows Kiwami 3 to be the solid bridge between the old-school brawler era and the modern 'Everything is a Conspiracy' era of the Daidoji.

 

So, pour one out for the Kiwami brand. It made us care about an orphanage in Okinawa all over again. But the Dragon needs his rest - or at least, he needs a break before he inevitably shows up in 'Like a Dragon 9' as a secret boss who fights you with a karaoke mic.

 

If you’re waiting for Kiwami 4, stop. Go play the remaster. RGG is busy building a new timeline where the plot actually makes sense. Maybe. Probably not. But it’ll be a hell of a ride.