Music streaming services have gotten very popular in the United States with companies such as Rdio, Spotify and Rhapsody. Similar services are also used in Japan because the public is less inclined to purchase individual albums these days. For the gaming crowd, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan has just started a new service called PlayStation Game Music that’s used in conjunction with streaming music services that are already available.

Things are looking up for Yakuza fans. Not only did we get Yakuza 4 with a better localization than Yakuza 3, but it’s starting to look like we’ll see an English language release of Yakuza: Of the End as well. At least, we will if Sega’s recently filed, European trademark for Yakuza: Dead Souls is any indication. That sounds like a pretty good North American and European title for a PS3 Yakuza game with zombies and monsters roaming around Kamurocho.

The Yakuza: Dead Souls trademark can be found…

Yakuza: Of the End (Ryu ga Gotoku: Of the End) no longer lingers in release date limbo! After the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan, Sega decided it would probably be in everyone’s best interest if the latest Yakuza game, one set in a post-apocolyptic Kamurocho beseiged by zombies, not be released on March 17, 2011. So it slapped the game with a TBA and then stayed pretty much silent for almost a month. The TBA has officially been replaced now with a June 9, 2011 release date…

Sega’s Yakuza series has been an amazing success for the company, ever since the original 2005 installment on the PlayStation 2. It was lauded by fans and critics for its engaging story, interesting characters and lifelike environments. Now, six years later, Yakuza 4 has emerged as the best the series has to offer. If you pick up this game, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth…

If you pre-ordered Yakuza Of the End, then prepare to wait. Your game won’t be released March 17, 2011. In light of everything that has happened in the past week in Japan, from the earthquake, to the tsunami and nuclear emergency, Sega has decided to delay the PS3 game. So no hunting down zombies with Kazuma Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, Goro Majima and Ryuji Goda for now. You’ll have to content yourself with the demo that’s available on the Japanese PlayStation Store…

Kazuma Kiryu lives! Yakuza 4 has just been confirmed for a European release on Sega Europe’s blog. So PS3 owners will once again be immersed in the world of Japanese gangsters. There hasn’t been a similar post on Sega America’s Blog yet, but even if there isn’t there’s no need to fret – the European entry does say the game is being released in the West. Besides, Toshihiro Nagoshi, the game’s producer, is appearing at E3 2010…

Welcome to the first installment of Who’s On Crack (in video games), a concept rudely stolen, er, politely borrowed from another site.The basic idea is this: People do crazy schtuff. Companies, which are run by people, do crazy stuff on a much larger scale. And when you mix fantasy worlds, die-hard fandom and entertainment industry PR, even crazier stuff happens.

Sega! If a company is going to release a game outside of Japan, they’ve got to do it right! Yakuza 3 owners are now even more displeased with how Sega handled the localization and North American release of the game, and I’ll give you a hint why – more content was cut than previously revealed.

As Gamertell reported before Yakuza 3 was released for the PS3 on March 9, 2010, Sega admited that the hostess bar/cabaret clubs would be cut from the final build of the game because it wouldn’t “resonate” with players. (Even though Yakuza and Yakuza 2 both had the clubs.) Sega also stated that the quiz game present in the Japanese version of Yakuza 3 was eliminated, since players likely wouldn’t know the answer to the questions…

One of the absolutely wonderful things about the Yakuza series of games is how it introduces Western gamers to niche elements of Japanese culture while also giving Kazuma something to do when he’s not beating guys up, getting revenge, saving the day and what-not. Yakuza 3 however, will be a little lighter on the niche Japanese content though, since Sega decided to not localize it.

Specifically, two fairly substantial segments from the original Yakuza 3 ended up on the cutting room floor when making the North American and European versions. Sega told IGN that the quiz game and the hostess club are gone…

If you’re planning on purchasing Yakuza 3 for your PS3, then you better make sure you have some preorder money ready. All preorders of Yakuza 3 come with downloadable content that you won’t be able to get otherwise. You’re not just getting one extra, teeny, tiny addition either. You get four new modes and extras. You get three battle modes that include the boss rush Battle for Survival mode, the seven character All-Star Tournament battle and the eight team All-Star Tag Tournament battle. You also get Haruka’s Request, which sounds like a pretty comprehensive adventure in which Kazuma has to take Haruka around the entire world available in Yakuza 3, completing her missions and keeping her happy.

GameStop also has a preorder offer, in addition to the DLC preorder mentioned above. You get a Challenge Pack…