Yakuza spin-off shutdown removed from sale in Japan after drug scandal

By Esra Krabbe

Sega announced today the stop of Japanese sales of Judgment, the latest action-adventure game from the developer of the Yakuza series.

The reason behind this sudden decision is the fact that Pierre Taki, whose voice and likeness are used in the game as a Kyohei Hamura character, was arrested as a suspect for drug use or possession. Although this does not seem to be a reason to stop selling a game, similar events are common in the entertainment industry in Japan.

According to Mainichi News, 51-year-old Taki has admitted to using a small amount of cocaine and the police are currently looking for additional evidence. If prosecuted, Taki could face up to seven years in prison.

The resemblance in the game of Pierre Taki, representing Kyohei Hamura.

Sega announced on its official website: "We have received reports of an arrest and we are confirming the facts. We are currently withdrawing the judgment of the sale in Japan, including the physical and digital editions. "

Sega also stated that it would no longer promote online gaming, as the official Japanese website is no longer accessible and all previous tweets from Sega Official Twitter Account regarding the game being removed.

It's unclear whether Sega plans to restart selling the game once things are in place, but the wording of its ad suggests that it could be a temporary move – the Japanese word & # 39; toumen & # 39; roughly translates to "for the moment", but is not a commitment as strong as "temporarily".

It is unclear whether this incident will have any influence on the western exit of Judgment, scheduled for June 25. At the time of writing, the game is still available on the PlayStation Store in Hong Kong and other parts of Asia. IGN contacted Sega for a comment.

Sega has options if he chooses to put the game back for sale. In the recently released remasterization of the Japanese version of Yakuza 4, the voice and likeness of the policeman Tanimura were recast after the original actor, Hiroki Narimiya, withdrew from the film industry. entertainment after unfounded rumors about cocaine. It is possible that Judgment receives the same way a patch that replaces the model and the voice of the character of Taki, Hamura.

Taki also interprets Olaf's voice in Frozen and in Kingdom Hearts III and is part of the revered electro duo Denki Groove; it is unclear whether these other projects will be affected.

Esra Krabbe is an editor at IGN Japan. He beat Judgment and thought everything was fine.