In a recent forum, the game designer referred to GTA as a game in which you can "kill people or do whatever". It's not that Nagoshi used this forum to trash talk GTA — far from it. Instead, he touched on the larger issues at hand, such as what does it mean to make a game that can let players do whatever they want. Is this dangerous?

"This game," the SEGA R&D head said about GTA, "I thought one day someone is going to have to make something like this. Personally, because I think you must think about the influence games have on people, I would never think about wanting to make a game like this. However, because of this moral issues in this game, I think we should have a healthy debate.

In gaming, if you make a decision, there is a reaction, and it's the most stimulating form of media, I think. And thus, it can asked if it's the most dangerous media... Depending on what you make, perhaps."

Besides developing Yakuza, Nagoshi works on Super Monkey Ball games and his tan.

セガ名越氏が語る『龍が如く』とゲーム倫理の問題 [Famitsu via jin] [Pic]

SEGA is offering a "customer for a day ticket" with Toshihiro Nagoshi, designer of the Yakuza franchise and Super Monkey Ball. We imagine that Nagoshi will visit the winner's hostess bar, spend loads of money on booze and smoke an endless stream of cigarettes. Nice pointer finger ring!

If Nagoshi were our customer for a day, we'd make him bring the last Yakuza game to the West. Oh, we'd probably ask him for eyebrown, sorry, eyebrow trimming advice, too.

Of the PS3's motion controller, the alleged Sega document says (and remember, this is neither confirmed, nor from Sony):

Motion Controller
• Spring 2010 launch (March in JP)
• No bundle/pricing details yet, should come Sept 1
• Plan on selling 4-5MM units WW
• SCEA agreed to provide a list of Sega IP that would work well with the motion controller, Virtua Tennis was an example
• Motion Controller support allows easy way to differentiate PS3 SKU
• Other differentiation opportunities include PSP/PS3 interoperability – think of features that would make users want to buy both PS3 and PSP SKUs.

Spring 2010, we knew, but March 2010 in Japan is the first time a date has been attached to the peripheral. It's also the first time we've seen an actual game linked with the device (though again, it's important to remember that this document is neither confirmed, nor an official plan of attack from Sony).

Interestingly, the document also contains mention of a PlayStation Network "import store". Once again, remember, this is just Sega and Sony talking business, so this may not happen.

But enough disclaimers! The document says Sega "could put Japanese games directly on PSN for download in a special Japanese Import section (pricing $9.99 to $39.99 for full game)". Specific mention is made of the Yakuza series, and how Sega "might need to localize menus at least with subtitles".

Discussions and rumours or not, that would be an exciting prospect for a lot of people round these parts.

At time of writing, we're still yet to hear from Sega or Sony on the matter.

Popping into the comments section of a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sega of America assistant community manager Aaron Webber has said "Yakuza 3 is not cancelled – and the possibility for localizing it does, in fact, still exist."

"The original news story that went around about Yakuza 3 being declined for the US was false, and localizing the game still remains a big point of discussion for many people here at SEGA, and especially those of us on SEGA's community team."

"I know it's far from an announcement, but I just felt you should know that the chance does still exist."

Nice. For what it's worth, here's what we've heard: that Sega are looking for somebody else to localise the game, take the risk, similar to how Capcom handles the release of GTA in Japan.

Valkyria Chronicles II – Coming to PSP Next Summer [PlayStation, via 1UP]

There were 1,500 applicants, and semi-finalists appeared in an online poll, including curvy pin-up model Chiri Arikawa and porn star Rio, star of blue movies like the incest themed Sister's Secret and the self-descriptive Non-stop Fucking!.

Out of that, sixteen ladies appeared in a "final" audition, judged by Ryu Ga Gotoku creator Toshihiro Nagoshi, members of the Ryu Ga Gotoku team, rocker George Takahashi who lent his voice to the game and hostess-slash-magazine-modelSayaka Araki.

This final audition seems to be an excuse to march all the girls out in evening wear. As selected by the judges and SEGA, the girls appearing in Ryu Ga Gotoku 4 are Kyoto's Erena Aihara, ballerina Noa Mizutani, Osaka bar hostess Himeka Kawasaki, Shizuoka college student Chihiro Ikki, 28-year-old Suzuka Saitou, magazine model Maya Mori, and porn star Rio.

Chiba native Eri Arimura was awarded a special prize won't be appearing in game, it seems, but rather, will be doing Ryu Ga Gotoku 4 promotional work as the game's "cheerleader".

セガ、PS3「龍が如く4 伝説を継ぐもの」キャバクラ嬢役最終オーディションで7名+1名が選出 [GAME Watch]

Only on his new job for about two and a half weeks, Mike Hayes is the man who now oversees Sega West, the combined domain of Sega of America and Sega of Europe and the man who I asked yesterday to define, if such a term is possible, "Sega-ness."

Hayes, who formerly had been running just Sega of Europe and years before that was at Nintendo, was taking meetings in New York on the penthouse floor of a midtown Manhattan hotel. Based in London, he was paying the territory added to his portfolio a visit. Around him, in adjacent rooms, a line-up with a diversity that make even Sega's innovative line-ups of its old Genesis and Dreamcast eras look homogeneous was illuminating TV screens. A few doors in one direction were Aliens Vs. Predator and espionage role-playing game Alpha Protocol. In the other, beyond more than half a dozen other distinct games, were Daisy Fuentes Pilates and a Sonic kart-racing game.

Is there an essence of Sega that unifies the company's games? Something that a gamer unaware of the company logos on game boxes might still sense as a unifying aspect of Sega's games?

"In some cases, but not all," Hayes said, answering this early question with the thoughtfulness and lack of diplomatic self-censorship with which he'd field all of my questions. "When we are trying to do core games like Aliens Vs. Predator from Rebellion, I don't think you'll find any Seganess in that. However, there are a lot of games that we do do — whether it be particularly with our old intellectual property, like Monkey Ball, like with Mario and Sonic and … things like Let's Tap — it's that kind of slight risk-taking that Sega was renowned for as innovators that we still do and we still intend to do."

Such a publisher winds up having to field from an outlet like this one questions as wide-ranging as the fate of its Aliens license, its Sonic line and its heritage as a hardware maker. More on some of that later this week, but here's our first batch of updates.

Aliens is one of the murkier Sega topics. The company announced in 2006 that it would publish three games based on the famous chest-bursting movie monsters. Sega showed Aliens Vs. Predator at this event, demonstrating how games can play as a human marines or a Predator. Still under wraps is what playing like an Alien will be like. But this game wasn't expected to be the first Aliens game from Sega. That was going to be the Gearbox-developed Aliens: Colonial Marines shooter or the now-canceled Obsidian-developed Aliens RPG.

"The Gearbox project was moving along," Hayes said, recalling when the decision was made to take Colonial Marines out of the lead position. The game wasn't as far along as Aliens Vs. Predator, which originally wasn't backed by Sega. It was being made by Rebellion for publisher Vivendi, until that support ceased following Vivendi's 2008 merger with Activision. "There was an opportunity for us to take that." Its development progress put Gearbox's game into the second slot, to be released "a good period after" AvP, according to Hayes. The RPG won't be third because "it just wasn't coming along to the plan that we thought."

Might the newly announced, Ridley Scott Alien prequel project be a source of Aliens inspiration for Sega? "We're quite excited about that and buzzing from the news of that," Hayes said. But of the third game, Hayes would only say, " We'd like to think we'll be doing a third project but at the moment we haven't confirmed what the third project will be."

Another hyped grouping of Sega games has been its trio of Wii games targeted to the demographic of gamers that prefers a good headshot or chainsaw kill to an interactive sit-up routine: House of the Dead Overkill, MadWorld and The Conduit. Hayes views their fortunes as mixed. Sales reports don't show blockbuster numbers for any of the games, but, Hays said, "I just don't think, categorically, that you can therefore concludes that mature games won't work on Wii."

Hayes deemed profane Grindhouse-style in-rails shooter House of the Dead: Overkill a "big success in Europe," even though it performed less spectacularly in America. Hayes said the game's budget-priced Wii predecessor, which compiled two earlier games in the series, continues to do well, suggesting there's a future to this line. "We're still very keen on the House of the Dead franchise."

Conduit can also be deemed a success, Hayes said, qualifying its performance as a solid one in a summer that has seen a pre-Holiday Wii hardware and software "dip." The company has shipped 300,000 copies of the game worldwide and sold through more than half of them to gamers, about 100,000 in the U.S., according to figures from Segaof America v.p. of marketing, Sean Ratcliffe who attended our interview.

It is the mostly black-and-white, hyper-violent MadWorld that Hayes dubbed a "disappointment" for reasons he can't yet nail down. "It could be the consumers didn't like the art style," he said. "It could be the consumers had enough Mature-rated games to play on 360 and PS3 and didn't need a new experience on Wii."

Hayes sums up the mixed success of those titles with a sanguine recognition that any grouping of games will have its hit, its flop and some in-between performers. "That's video games," he said. And it's not the end of this Wii gamer narrative from Sega. " You will see more — I wouldn't say Mature as in M — but you will see more definitely more hardcore games from us on the Wii platform."

MadWorld was part of a second grouping of Sega titles, those developed by Platinum Games, the company led mainly by former design stars at Capcom. Bayonetta, now releasing in early 2010 in the U.S. will be the second, along with DS game Infinite Space. Hayes said there will be at least two more Platinum Games titles published by Sega beyond that, but wouldn't provide details nor confirm if either of those is the previously-announced game being developed by heralded Japanese game maker Shinji Mikami.

One of the biggest hits for Sega in Japan has been its Yakuza series, a line of story-driven brawlers set, mostly, in modern Tokyo and crafted with the help of a Japanese crime novelist and Toshihiro Nagoshi, the classically eclectic Sega developer who also dreamed up the kid-friendly Super Monkey Ball. Yakuza may be the Japanese series that most closely matches the urban antisocial vibe of the Grand Theft Auto series, but its two PlayStation 2 releases in America have sold poorly. A third PS2 Yakuza was not brought to America. A current-gen game, Yakuza 3, made its mark in Japan in February. The third is absent from Sega's announced U.S. release schedule. "We're looking into it," Hayes said, remarking that it would require "massive localization" work and that, yes, he's aware of the dedicated fans here clamoring for its release.

Hayes answered that Yakuza question outside of our interview, truth be told. We'd wrapped up. I was at the other end of the penthouse, preparing to play Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympics after commandeering Luigi on bobsled I saw Hayes and had to ask. Imagine the ability to transition from playing character-mascot Olympics to a discussion of a crime-filled city adventure, all without leaving the same publisher's demo hotel suite: Maybe that is the definition of "Sega-ness"

Just look at Nagoshi examine those applications. This is serious stuff!

As we previously posted, it will use the latest motion capture technology so that not only the actor's voice will appear in the game, but 3D models of them as them in character.

SEGA has released pics of Hiroki Narimiya and Kenta Kiritani getting their faces scanned for the game. That "latest motion capture tech" is a scanner from Cyberware. More info here!

セガ、PS3「龍が如く4 伝説を継ぐもの」正式タイトル決定！キャスト第1弾も発表 [Game Watch]

Nagoshi purchased Dragon Quest IX. What does he think? He says it's easy to get into and the interface is good. "It's a much better match for handhelds than home consoles," he blogs.

In short, he adds, it's a "feel good" title, and a game he can learn from. How could you not believe a man that glows golden brown?

ドラクエ9 [名越稔洋オフィシャルブログ「とりあえず乾杯デショ。」]

Finalist Rio is one of the 16 to be in the running for a slot in the game. According to her personal blog, which is linked on the SEGA site, Rio works in the adult industry, starring in titles like Rio is a Squirting Young Wife and Let's Have Sex at School.

The 22 year-old was known as Tina Yuzuki prior to 2007.

While the blog SEGA links is certainly NSFW, the safe-for-work video features Rio talking to the camera in hopes that she is selected. "I can become friendly with anyone," says Rio.

Well, yeah.

Good luck to her and the other finalists!

「龍が如く」次回作 キャバクラ嬢役オーディションWeb一般投票開始！ [SEGA via はちま起稿]

In an interview in the upcoming Famitsu, the very tanned Toshihiro Nagoshi reveals the development on another Yakuza title. Nagoshi says that it doesn't mean this is Ryu Ga Gotoku 4, but he wants the game to have the essence of Ryu Ga Gotoku. "For example," the designer says, "If main character Kiryu Kazuma went to outer space or fought zombies, I think fans would accept that and say, 'I get it.'"

He wants to have players wonder what is going to happen in the next Ryu Ga Gotoku. "It's not KENZAN 2," Nagoshi assures. "I want to create a new style of game set in contemporary surroundings." Ryu Ga Gotoku KENZAN! was set in Edo-era Kyoto, but the other titles have been set in modern day Japan. All of the ideas that have been saved up until this point will apparently find their way into this new, more immersive title.

Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 and the previous Yakuza titles had elaborate promotional campaigns. Nagoshi is thinking about how to promote the new title, and one concept he has is called "Everyone Can Participate" to fill out the game's cast. Starting on May 8, SEGA will begin accepting applications for 18 years-old-and-up female night club hostess-type characters. SEGA is also planning to accept applications from males; however, age is not important.

"This title will be a PLAYSTATION 3 game," says Nagoshi. All Yakuza titles have been PlayStation exclusives.

Another pic of Ayana after the jump.

椿姫彩菜｢初めてで緊張｣の 『龍が如く3』記者発表会が開催 [Famitsu]

Another pic after the jump.

「龍が如く 見参！」のコラボレーションケータイがソフトバンクより発売中 [IT Media]

Yakuza 3 Announced [2chan.net]

Authentic, cinematic sequel. The gritty, genuine portrayal of life in the Yakuza is made more realistic throughout 16 gripping chapters with a return to the original Japanese voice cast and English subtitles.

Bravo, Sega, bravo. The game does a neat job of authentically capturing Osaka's nightlife (above) — though needs more people. Still, it's a PS2 game and quite a nice looking one at that!

Games Yakuza 2 [SEGA via Sega Nerds]

I pre-ordered Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan! at the Shinjuku Bic Camera in Tokyo as after playing the demo I was really interested in giving the final product a serious playthrough. Today being the release date, I headed over to Bic Camera as soon as I could leave work. I arrived at the store around 7:30pm, got my copy and was told that there were holding a Japanese-style raffle and to take my recipt over to another section of the videogame area.

For those that don't know, a Japanese raffle is a kind of lottery where when it's your turn, you spin a hexangoal box around a few times, and out comes a colored ball to determine your prize. I got the lowest level - a "high quality oil cloth."

The highest reward were fairly large posters for the game, and when I got over there, some guy in a flashy jacket was bent over one of them with a pen in his hand. In case you hadn't guessed, it was indeed the
director, Toshihiro Nagoshi, autographing some of them. I didn't feel right asking for his autograph since he was already making the posters for the winners, but I had the good luck to see that he was on his way out - the poster I had seen him sign was his last.

We rode down the elevator together (with his staff), and then as we got off I worked up the nerve to ask him for his picture. One of his staff was kind enough to offer to hold the camera so I could appear in the picture too...

For a guy as flashily and expensively dressed as he was, he was very nice, and to be honest a bit tired - I think the final push had taken it's toll, as his pants were a bit dirty too.

Nagoshi descended from the heavens and touched down in Tokyo recently to sample the signature dish based on the third Yakuza game, known there as Ryu Ga Gotoku KENZAN! Emphasis Sega's. The menu, appearing at a pair of cafes in the Tokyo area, features a trio of drinks that compliment delicious looking meat-on-stick fare and fresh salads.

For more pictures of Nagoshi eating and drinking, hit up Game Watch's coverage of the Ryu Ga Gotoku KENZAN! PR machine in action.

Ryu Ga Gotoku KENZAN! The Restaurant Opening [Game Watch]

Ryu Ga Gotoku Cafes [Game Watch Impress]

Give it up. Give it up for Sega and Yakuza's main man, Toshihiro Nagoshi. Not only does Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzen—to be known as Yakuza 3 outside of Japan, we're guessing—feature extraordinary cleavage, it also features turtle racing. Yes. Turtle racing. Turtle racing that you can wager on. There's some other stuff in here, too, like amazing depth and breadth of detail, pretty graphics and all that crap. But those turtles. My God!