Judgment and Lost Judgment have been rated for PC by the ESRB
A clash over the lead actor’s image rights reportedly blocked a previous PC release
Judgment and Lost Judgment have been rated for PC by US classification body the Entertainment Software Rating Board.
As spotted by Twitter user Wario 64, the games both now reference Windows PC on the ESRB’s website, suggesting PC versions have at least been submitted for and passed certification by the classification board.
It was previously claimed that PC releases for the games had been blocked by lead actor Takuya Kimura’s talent agency.
Japanese showbiz news site Nikkan Taishu claimed last year that sources told it Kimura’s talent agency Johnny & Associates had been blocking PC versions of games in the Judgment series because they don’t want Kimura to appear in PC games.
While it’s not entirely clear why this is, the site suggested that because Johnny & Associates “has strict control over the [likeness] rights of its talent, and the use of their image online is still limited to a few”, the agency may be treating PC games differently because home computers have direct access to the internet.
The report claimed that Sega had been trying to bring Judgment and Lost Judgment to Steam, but because the agency was blocking this from happening it could draw a line under the series after Lost Judgment.
“The game makers have decided that if they can’t distribute the game on Steam, it would be very difficult from a business standpoint, and the series will end with the second game, Lost Judgment,” the report stated.
The ESRB’s PC ratings may suggest that the companies have come to an agreement over the distribution of the PC version of the game.
Related
Review: Lost Judgment finds its feet in a much-improved sequel
Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has confirmed that it’s working on a Yakuza: Like A Dragon sequel and a new IP.
The first images of the next Yakuza game seemingly appeared online in July, when MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura posted a video of himself taking a studio tour at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.
Related Products
Sonic Frontiers
