Yakuza 6: The Song of Life’s localization philosophy

Sega’s action-adventure series Yakuza first launched in 2005, and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is the final chapter to protagonist Kiryu Kazuma’s story. His journey has been uniquely Japanese, tackling underground criminal organizations with geopolitical tones, commenting on the way people use technology, and showcasing the country’s culture. Sega’s North American localization team at its subsidiary Atlus acts as the mediator between Western audiences and the streets of Kamurocho, contextualizing Kiryu’s adventures for overseas fans. Yakuza 6 is out in Japan, and will launch in the West on April 17 on PlayStation 4.

“I want to say we’re one of the only publishers making games set in modern-day Japan, a realistic interpretation of that,” said Atlus’s localization producer Scott Strichart in an interview with GamesBeat. “With these games, we’re trying to make sure we straddle this fine line between authenticity and clarity. We want the game to read well. We want the game to play well. We want you to understand it well. But we never want you to forget that you’re a Japanese guy in Japan.”