Hey guys, I just read somewhere that the European version of Yakuza 3 will be heavily censored: no massage parlors, no host clubs, and no gambling mini-games whatsoever. The source claims that Sega Europe officially stated that the host clubs have been completely removed from the game. Does anyone have any information confirming this? I'm asking because it doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me. The game is already rated M, and GTA4 nor Saint's Row 2 were censored in any way. In those games you can fuck all you want, be a pimp and then beat a hooker to death with a baseball bat. That's what you do in GTA and SR. Now, a host club has nothing to do with sex (it was more of an in-game dating sim in the previous installments of the Yakuza series), and in the first two games these clubs were crucial to the story, as I imagine they are in Yakuza 3. How does that make any sense? I can understand why they would remove the massage parlor mini-game, there's a fully naked chick there. But what is the reason for taking out the gambling mini-games??

what I found is the official statement about the removal of host clubs, the gambling a massage parlor games being removed are just rumors. That's what people say, I couldn't find anything on these by Sega.

hm... i just knew the US version will be censored and was hoping the EU version would be uncut :(

"what I found is the official statement about the removal of host clubs, the gambling a massage parlor games being removed are just rumors. That's what people say, I couldn't find anything on these by Sega. "

I heard about this on the CAGcast last week.  CheepyD (who lives in Japan) said he couldn't understand the reasoning for the censor.  It's not as if the hostess clubs are brothels.  You can't sex any of the girls up.  And wouldn't any purchaser of the game which already has a limited market, be the type of player who wants the full game experience?  I personally looked forward to the psudo-dating sim aspect of the game.  It would be a welcome change over GTA IV's.  I don't understand why Sega would shoot themselves in the foot by making this decision.  They claim they were reluctant to bring over Yakuza 3 because of questionable sales for the first two installments.  Then they go and censor the game for the ones that were going to buy it.  
 
Honestly, I think I am going to buy Final Fantasy XIII now instead.  I'm having a very hard time trying to justify supporting Sega by purchasing this title.  I'd rather they didn't bring it out at all then bring it out homogenized.

I can't understand this either.
 I've finished the japanese version a couple of times and I enjoyed going into the hostess bars trying to get everyones card (which you get if you say the right things).
There is also a hostess bar where they ask you to find a girl on the streets and make her a hostess, you dress her up, put on make up and such to try to make her popular which I thought was pretty fun (it's a twist of the one in yakuza2 where YOU were trying to the best host).
 
It's sad to see these fun little side quests disappear.

Is the US version?

The European and US releases are identical. Both cut just as severely.
 
Hostess clubs are removed, although you can still date the hostesses apparently. A side mission where you help a hostess out is cut. Three games are cut: Mahjong, Shogi, and Hanafuda. A Japanese quiz is cut. And there are apparently some other side mission cuts.
 
As for censorship, the transsexual masseuse is cut along with a massage parlour mini game.
 
According to Sega it isn't so much censorship as it is time/budget constraints on the translation. I half believe that since the game wasn't going to be translated at as of autumn last year, so it has been put together quickly. However, Sega have made a pretty big balls up when choosing just what to cut. Japanese history quiz? Fine, I wouldn't probably be able to answer the questions without cheating anyway. But the hostess related stuff is pretty fundamental to experience. We'll see just how much they've really cut soon I guess.