Starring ‘Beat’ Takeshi Kitano
Here’s the first look at Yakuza 6, and — wait — is that Beat Takeshi? Why yes, yes it is. The famed Japanese entertainer, who you might know the host of cult game show Takeshi’s Castle, has a role in Sega’s latest gangster drama, which is launching on PlayStation 4 in Japan next fall.
In addition to making contestants run through ridiculous obstacle courses, Takeshi Kitano has worked in virtually every facet of the film industry, including a number of roles portraying yakuza in Japanese crime movies — so the subject matter here is familiar territory for the man.
This won’t be Kitano’s first experience working on a video game. Back in 1986, Space Invaders studio Taito publishedTakeshi no Chousenjou, a notoriously difficult (and awful) experience for the Nintendo Famicom, on which Kitano is credited as designer — a first for a Japanese celebrity.
Sega unveiled Yakuza 6 at Tokyo Game Show as part of Sony Computer Entertainment’s media event, announcing it alongsideYakuza: Kiwami, a remake of the first game in the series, which is planned for aJanuary 2016 release in Japan. A localization for neither game has been confirmed.