Yakuza Kiwami 3’s Dark Ties Originally a Video, Became Playable as “Best Way” to Tell Mine’s Story

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Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio unveiled Yakuza Kiwami 3 last week at their recent Summit – a reveal many anticipated, as the game briefly showed up on their website beforehand. They also announced Dark Ties, a side story in the style of a Gaiden title, focusing on Yoshitaka Mine, the villain from Yakuza 3.

In addition to new missions and areas to explore, the side story centers on Mine becoming involved with the criminal world. Originally, it wasn’t intended to be a playable experience. Director Ryosuke Horii explained to Famitsu (translated by Automaton Media) that Dark Ties was envisioned as “more of a cinematic experience, like watching a video.”

The team opted for a playable character, believing it was “the best way to tell his story.” Series producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto also mentioned that Mine is consistently ranked among the top five most popular characters with fans. If there was ever a perfect moment to make him playable, it was definitely Dark Ties.

Horii points out that Mine’s story is “cooler and more stylish” than that of Yakuza 3. He explains, “With Dark Ties, Mine begins as a businessman, and we show him getting more and more caught up in the yakuza world – something we haven’t done before. Unlike Kiryu and other characters, Mine isn’t driven by a strong sense of justice. Even in the side stories, he doesn’t help people by fighting against injustice or protecting those in need.”

We’ll find out how things go when Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties become available on February 12th, 2026, for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. It will be released as a combined package. You can see some of the fighting action from the first game here, showcasing the updated Dragon of Dojima Style.

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2025-09-30 16:11