Yakuza character all-but ruled out for Smash Ultimate DLC by creator
Nintendo/SegaSmash Ultimate fans hoping to see Yakuza’s protagonist Kazuma Kiryu as DLC in Fighters Pass Volume 2 shouldn’t get their hopes up according to the series creator.
Nintendo’s flagship fighter is a powerhouse when it comes to fandoms as it combines so many different communities into one with characters from so many games featured in Smash.
While most developers actively push or hope for their creations to duke it out alongside legendary gaming icons such as Mario and Link, Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi is taking a different approach.
In an interview with Redbull France, Nagoshi was asked what he thinks about requests from fans about adding Kazuma Kiryu to a fighting game such as Tekken or Smash Ultimate.
SegaKazuma Kiryu deconfirmed
“We get a lot of requests for that,” the Yakuza boss admitted. “Of course, there are exceptions, but fighting games usually have female characters, and I personally don’t really want to see Kiryu hit women.”
This answer is extremely odd. Most developers would be over the moon to have their characters appear in Smash Ultimate in some capacity, so to have Kazuma Kiryu deconfirmed in such a way is quite bizarre.
Sega’s Yakuza franchise does have a stellar history on Nintendo consoles, which certainly favors its odds over other titles looking to make a dent in Smash.
NintendoOf course, this could also just be Nagoshi trying to deflect from the question as others have in the past. Notably, Banjo-Kazooie composer Grant Kirkhope stated “don’t hold your breath” when asked about Banjo in Smash and we all know how then turned out.
It’s also possible that a different character from Yakuza, such as Goro Majima, could be going to Smash or another fighting game in place of Kiryu.
In any case, it would seem like a Yakuza’s Kiryu won’t be in Challenger Pack 8 yet alone Fighters Pass Volume 2. There are still four more characters to be revealed, so while this may be bad news for Yakuza fans, it could be a big blessing for those wanting other franchises represented.