Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties’ Day-One Patch to Address Lighting Issue and “Other Quality Concerns”

Even if it’s churning out yearly releases, the anticipation surrounding a new RGG Studio title is always infectious. That said, things are a little different this year with the impending launch of Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties. Out next week, feedback for the demo has been less than positive, especially regarding the visuals.

It’s currently rated “Mostly Negative” with only 26 percent of the 1,185 user reviews recommending it. Based on some impressions, the lighting, especially the Kubochi River, looks less than ideal. RGG Studio has responded on Twitter, noting that it will have a day-one patch to address complaints.

“Rest assured, the graphical quality of the demo does not represent the final experience. We plan to have a v1.11 patch available at launch, which will address the lighting issue and other quality concerns in the full game. One specific example is the visual and lighting issues around the Kubochi River area in the Downtown Ryukyu area, which many of you have already pointed out.”

Interestingly, that isn’t the extent of the patch. “This patch will include not just fixes for the issues identified above, but many other improvements,” said the developer. It may not go live simultaneously for all platforms, so keep this in mind if your purchasing decision hinges on these changes.

Could these improvements also influence the combat, especially after many pointed out how the Dragon of Dojima: Kiwami Style feels too easy? Time will tell, but given what leaked via datamining recently (especially with the story changes), it’s safe to say that RGG Studio won’t be able to please everyone.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties launches on February 12th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. You can check out our feature for all the details, from new activities to what Yoshitaka Mine offers in his new prequel story.