VG247

Yakuza 1 & 2 HD is being released on Wii U in Japan in order to gauge interest in the franchise from owners of the console.

This is according to Yakuza producer Toshihiro Nagoshi.

“To be honest, we’re not aiming to see if the game will be a smash hit,” he said. “Our real intention is that we want to see how people respond.

“The existing [Wii U] users are different [from PlayStation owners], so isn’t it hard to say if it makes sense? It isn’t jumping ship to Nintendo hardware, Yakuza 1 & 2 are coming out on the Wii U, and this is what it is.”

One shouldn’t expect the Yakuza series to be released on 3DS, unless it was an action adventure game in the series, not part of the standard fare.

“It’s not possible,” said Nagoshi. “I’d do it if it were okay to have a Yakuza game without many people walking around the city… But it would be forcing it, no?”

The Yakuza series, however, will make its way to Vita as the series was “born and bred” on PlayStation hardware.

Yakuza 1 & 2 HD will be released on Wii U in Japan with Wii U-specific features, including off-TV play.

Thanks, Kotaku.

It will be interesting to watch what happens with this. Nintendo home consoles rarely seem to pass these "tests". If it does, I wonder if that means another re-release or if it would share the next Yakuza release proper?

Also, Yakuza on the Vita would be awesome.

happy now Rol?

If Wii U passes the test, Yakuza rail shooter confirmed.

Not convinced that it'll break even. Does it satisfy all of these (theorized) criteria for a Wii U port selling 100K plus?

- A port that isn't too late. Weeks late maybe, if justified.
- The port is full-featured and doesn't reek of developer laziness.
- A port that is sold at the same price as other versions.
- The port is part of a well-established franchise, helping create the notion that it's a safe bet.

Well I am getting it on WiiU IF it hits europe.

Actually, with the Wii, most of the tests were "passed" if the Wii version was decent enough. The problem was, when they passed the test, it was used to justify more spinoffs and remakes, rather than any of the new stuff. Later in the generation, people came to expect it, and stopped supporting the third parties with their constant "tests".

When Resident Evil 4 did very well on Wii, they made Umbrella Chronicles. When it sold moderately well, that was then considered good reason to make another Chronicles spinoff. Meanwhile, Resident Evil 5 was made for PS3/360, and Wii just got more spinoffs and remakes of old games.

Prediction, there won't be much interest. Fans of the series own Playstation consoles.

I still think 3DS is the better way to go. Large Japanese userbase and growing fast.

How similar is the Yakuza franchise to sleeping dogs? I really enjoyed sleeping dogs and am interested in yakuza but nowhere I check can I get a good grasp on what the game is. Is it open world? Batman-esque combat? Vehicles? etc...