Yakuza 3 Kiwami hasn’t even launched yet, and RGG Studio is already dealing with a massive spoiler crisis. Dataminers discovered the game’s complete script hidden within the recently released demo, revealing an ending that fundamentally changes one of the series’ most memorable character deaths. According to the leaked files, antagonist Yoshitaka Mine survives his iconic fall from Millennium Tower and gets recruited by the Daidoji faction alongside Goh Hamazaki, potentially retconning significant chunks of Yakuza 4’s story.
What The Demo Leak Revealed
The Yakuza 3 Kiwami demo launched on January 21, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC, giving players a taste of the remake ahead of its February 12 launch date. What RGG Studio didn’t anticipate was that the demo files contained the game’s entire script, making it trivially easy for dataminers to extract and read through the complete narrative including the climactic ending.
In the original Yakuza 3 from 2009, Mine’s story concludes dramatically atop Millennium Tower. After losing to Kiryu in battle and receiving a devastating phone call from his secretary that reduces him to just another business transaction, Mine throws himself off the tower while dragging CIA operative Andre Richardson down with him. It’s a tragic moment that cements Mine’s character arc about seeking genuine human connection in a world that only values him for money and power.
The Controversial New Ending
According to the leaked script, Yakuza 3 Kiwami changes this fundamental moment. Instead of dying from the fall, Mine survives and gets recruited by the Daidoji faction, the same shadowy organization that controls Kiryu in Like a Dragon Gaiden. This isn’t just a minor tweak but a complete reimagining of Mine’s fate that connects him to the modern era of the franchise.
The changes don’t stop with Mine. Goh Hamazaki, the violent yakuza who stabs Kiryu at the end of Yakuza 3, also joins the Daidoji in this new version. This creates a significant continuity problem because Yakuza 4’s entire opening sequence revolves around Hamazaki being imprisoned and eventually escaping with Taiga Saejima. If Hamazaki joins the Daidoji instead of going to prison, how does Yakuza 4’s story even happen?
Why Fans Are Upset
The Yakuza community’s reaction has been intensely negative, with longtime fans expressing frustration on social media and Reddit. Mine’s death resonated with players because it represented the consequences of his worldview. He built his entire existence around transactional relationships, believing bonds could be purchased or manufactured through usefulness. When that philosophy collapsed, he chose to end things on his own terms rather than continue living in a world where nobody genuinely cared about him as a person.
Having Mine survive diminishes this thematic weight. Some fans argue it feels like RGG Studio is trying to bring back popular characters regardless of whether it serves the story, similar to how modern blockbuster franchises resurrect dead characters for nostalgia points. The connection to the Daidoji faction specifically bothers people because it feels like forced integration with newer games rather than respecting the original narrative’s integrity.
The Yakuza 4 Retcon Problem
Hamazaki’s arc in Yakuza 4 is arguably even more affected by these changes. After stabbing Kiryu at the conclusion of Yakuza 3, Hamazaki gets imprisoned where he meets Saejima. Their unlikely friendship becomes one of Yakuza 4’s emotional cores, with Hamazaki ultimately sacrificing himself to help Saejima escape while obtaining crucial documents about Tojo Clan conspiracies.
If Hamazaki joins the Daidoji instead, this entire storyline evaporates. Saejima would need a completely different prison escape method. The documents Hamazaki risked his life to obtain would need to come from elsewhere. His redemption arc, where he transforms from vengeful attacker to Saejima’s sworn brother, simply wouldn’t exist. RGG Studio hasn’t explained how they plan to address these cascading continuity issues.
RGG Studio’s Pattern of Changes
This isn’t the first time RGG Studio has made controversial alterations to beloved games. The studio recast three characters in Yakuza 3 Kiwami, including Goh Hamazaki, who’s now voiced by Teruyuki Kagawa. This particular casting choice sparked outrage because Kagawa was accused of sexually assaulting a hostess in 2019. While he apologized in 2022, many fans questioned why RGG chose him over other available actors, especially when the studio has replaced voice actors for less serious issues in the past.
Visual changes have also frustrated players. The demo revealed a noticeably uglier alleyway compared to the 2009 original, with harsh filters and shading problems making certain areas look worse than the PS3 version. Some fans worry this indicates broader graphical downgrades despite the Dragon Engine’s capabilities, though others argue it’s a technical issue that might get fixed before launch.
What This Means for the Series
The leaked ending represents a fundamental question about what remakes should accomplish. Should they preserve the original vision with modern enhancements, or use the opportunity to recontextualize stories in light of later entries? RGG Studio clearly chose the latter approach, attempting to weave Yakuza 3’s narrative more tightly into the franchise’s current direction centered around the Daidoji faction and Kiryu’s later adventures.
However, this creates problems for players who experienced these stories over 15 years. The emotional impact of Mine’s death shaped how fans understood subsequent games. His absence from Yakuza 4 and beyond felt appropriate because his story reached a natural conclusion. Bringing him back doesn’t just change Yakuza 3 but potentially alters the meaning of every game that came after.
FAQs
When does Yakuza 3 Kiwami release?
Yakuza 3 Kiwami & Dark Ties launches February 12, 2026 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. The package includes both the main remake and the new Mine-focused prequel story.
How did the ending get leaked?
The January 21 demo included the game’s complete script in its files, allowing dataminers to extract and read through the entire narrative including the ending. This appears to have been an oversight by the development team.
Does Mine actually survive in the remake?
According to leaked script files, yes. Mine survives his fall from Millennium Tower and gets recruited by the Daidoji faction. However, RGG Studio hasn’t officially confirmed these story changes.
Will this affect Yakuza 4’s story?
Potentially yes. Hamazaki also reportedly joins the Daidoji in the new ending, which contradicts Yakuza 4’s opening where he’s imprisoned and escapes with Saejima. How RGG plans to address this continuity problem remains unclear.
What is the Daidoji faction?
The Daidoji is a shadow organization introduced in Like a Dragon Gaiden that recruits individuals to work as fixers and operatives. Kiryu himself works for the Daidoji in that game, faking his death to protect his loved ones.
Can I play the demo without spoilers?
Yes, the demo itself doesn’t contain ending spoilers during normal gameplay. The script was only accessible through datamining the demo’s files. If you avoid online discussions and spoiler posts, you can safely experience the demo.
What is Dark Ties?
Dark Ties is a completely new spinoff story included with Yakuza 3 Kiwami that stars villain Yoshitaka Mine. It explores his backstory and descent into the yakuza world before the events of the main game, making him a playable protagonist for the first time.
Will RGG Studio change the ending before launch?
Unlikely. The game releases February 12, less than three weeks away. Major story changes at this stage of development would require extensive work on cutscenes, voice acting, and localization across multiple languages.
Moving Forward
The Yakuza 3 Kiwami controversy highlights the challenges developers face when remaking beloved stories. RGG Studio positioned this as more than a simple remake, calling it a brand new title vastly evolved from the original during their September 2025 announcement. That evolution clearly includes significant narrative changes meant to connect the 2009 story with 2026 sensibilities and franchise continuity.
Whether these changes ultimately benefit or harm the game remains to be seen. Some players might appreciate seeing Mine’s story continue beyond his original death, especially after experiencing his character development in the Dark Ties prequel. Others feel it undermines what made Yakuza 3’s ending powerful in the first place. The script leak denied RGG Studio the chance to control how players discovered these changes, turning what might have been a surprising twist into a source of pre-release controversy. When February 12 arrives, the wider gaming community will finally judge whether these bold storytelling decisions paid off.