One of the things that made the PS2 so great was that it was filled with games that you just couldn’t play anywhere else.  One of those games was the original Yakuza. While it wasn’t the most shining example of the technology at the time, it certainly gained a slew of fans with its dark storyline and smooth combat.

The sequel, which was released for the PS2 in Japan nearly two years ago, will soon be coming stateside and is sure to please the cult of fans that still remain here in the states.  Yakuza 2 received even better reviews than its predecessor overseas, so you can imagine the excitement an announcement like this will cause for the hardcore fans out there.  But wait, there’s more!  It seems that fans will be in for an even bigger treat when the third installment of the series, titled simply Yakuza 3 for the west, hits the current generation as a PlayStation 3 exclusive.  You may note that a Yakuza title was already released for the PS3 in Japan, but apparently that was more of a side-story than a fully fleshed-out sequel. This newly announced game carries a very definitive “3″ at the end of it.

Very little is known about the game at this point, aside from its existence.  No assets or gameplay footage has been released and even the storyline is being kept under lock and key.  Publisher SEGA, however, seems to suggest that the game is further along than we may think, and hints that we may start seeing some marketing for the title in the near future.  We’ll keep you posted on all the Japanese-mafia-inspired details as they become available.