A listing for Yakuza Kiwami 2 went live on the Taiwanese PlayStation storefront earlier this week, perhaps leaking the unannounced remake's development. The accidental posting has since been removed, but not before fans were able to screenshot the listing's short description and tentative release date of December 17. No official confirmation that Yakuza Kiwami 2 is currently in development has been issued by developer/publisher Sega.

Yakuza Kiwami, a remake of the original PlayStation 2 Yakuza title from 2005, launches on August 29th for PlayStation 4. It's reasonable to assume that with Yakuza Kiwami finally launching worldwide, Sega is preparing to unveil its sequel. While Yakuza Kiwami is only just launching in the West, it has been available in the East as early as January. That's plenty of time to work on Yakuza 2's rework in the meantime, especially since Sega is able to use its new Yakuza 6 engine for Kiwami 2.

If Yakuza Kiwami 2 follows the same path as Yakuza Kiwami, it could see an Eastern launch in December and then a localized Western release within the next 6 or 7 months. Alternatively, Yakuza 6 was localized in just three months, so a speedier turnaround by Sega could definitely be possible. Yakuza 2 is considered one of the best in the series, so the longer the wait the more excruciating it will be for fans.

The main Yakuza series now features 7 games, Yakuza 1 through 6 and then a prequel named Yakuza 0. Three of those games, Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza 6, all launched in the West in 2017. Sega clearly sees a lot of value in putting out as many Yakuza titles on PlayStation 4 as fast as possible, and may very well be planning to release Yakuza Kiwami 3, 4, and 5 over the next year or few, too.

But what's impressive about what Sega has accomplished isn't just how quickly the games are made, but their polish and their addition of new content. Yakuza Kiwami isn't just a remake in an updated engine; it also adds brand new story to experience. That doesn't necessarily mean that the older games have aged well, but there is likely great gameplay to be found in these classic Yakuza games nevertheless.

Yakuza Kiwami releases on PS4 starting August 29. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is yet to be officially announced, but could release in Japan as early as December.

Source: Neogaf