Yakuza 0 is an action-adventure game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. Serving as a prequel to the Yakuza series, it is set in 1988 Japan during the country’s economic bubble era. The game follows two protagonists: Kazuma Kiryu in Tokyo’s Kamurocho district and Goro Majima in Osaka’s Sotenbori district. Players alternate between their stories as they navigate the criminal underworld, engaging in street fights, managing businesses, and participating in various side activities.
The gameplay combines beat ’em up combat with open-world exploration, offering numerous mini-games and side quests. Yakuza 0 was initially released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in Japan in March 2015, followed by a worldwide release on PlayStation 4 in January 2017. It later became available on Windows via Steam in August 2018 and on Xbox One in February 2020. A Director’s Cut version is scheduled for release on Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025.
