There was plenty to like during the RGG Summit 2025 showcase hosted by SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Yakuza Kiwami 3, Dark Ties, and a behind-the-scenes look at Stranger Than Heaven? That’s all amazing. Sadly, one announcement left everyone a bit disappointed, and it relates to the beloved Yakuza 0.
Yakuza 0 is now the default entry point for anyone interested in the franchise, and it’s an incredible game in its own right. SEGA recently released a Director’s Cut for the Switch 2, which is finally getting a PC and console release, but there is a caveat. If you already own Yakuza 0, there is no upgrade path available, and you’ll have to buy the Director’s Cut separately.
Existing Owners Will Have to Buy the Director’s Cut Separately
If you head over to the store pages for Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, it clearly states that there is no upgrade path available for existing owners and that save data is not transferable.
I can understand the second part because it includes additional content in the form of new cutscenes, improved localization, and some quality-of-life features, which could potentially lead to a conflict in presentation. But the first part doesn’t make much sense. Graphically, this isn’t a remaster; it’s the same game on a technical level, but it’s essentially an update.
If you already own the game on PS4 or Xbox One, you can play that version on a current-generation console, so I’m not sure why anyone would spend additional money on a game that isn’t much different from what they already own just to play it again.
Even if this is your first time playing the game, I have to wonder if it isn’t just cheaper to buy the regular Yakuza 0, which regularly goes on sale, instead of a brand-new edition. For comparison, this is what the new edition includes:
- 20 minutes of new cutscenes
- French, Italian, German, and Spanish text
- Red Light Raid mode: A multiplayer mode where players team up to fight against hordes of enemies. There are over 60 characters to choose from in this mode.
What makes matters worse is that, on top of the lack of an upgrade path for existing owners, the promised multiplayer mode isn’t even available when the Director’s Cut launches, at least on PS5 and Xbox Series S|X.
This has led to obvious frustration online from fans who were hoping to get the additional Director’s Cut content as an update or through a reasonably priced upgrade path. The posts on the Steam forums, X and Bluesky, aren’t pretty for this release, with many fans urging others not to buy this particular edition.
Compared to something like Persona 5 Royal, which adds a slew of new content and several gameplay improvements, Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is a disappointing upgrade for a fan favorite in the series. While unlikely, this particular release is still a few months away, and I hope that SEGA reconsiders its release strategy for this and offers existing owners an upgrade path.
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