As RGG Studio's lead developer Masayoshi Yokoyama said at the latest RGG Summit, the Yakuza Kiwami 3: Dark Ties spin-off was originally planned as a video in Kiwami 3. However, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties game director Resuke Horii explained in a recent interview with Famitsu why the project evolved into a full-fledged game.
At first, we wanted to make a story in a format that you can just watch.
The team took into account the expectations of the players: many wanted not only to know the story of Mine, but also to play as him.
Another key factor was the immense popularity of the character. According to series producer Hiro Yuki Sakomoto, despite his rare appearances in the franchise, Mine is consistently in the top 5 of fans' favorite characters.