Yakuza spin-off Judgment hits PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Stadia in April

This is the title's debut on Microsoft and Google's platforms.

Sega is rolling out an updated version of its crime drama Judgment for the new consoles, as well as Google Stadia.

The publishing giant is bringing the Yakuza spin-off to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Google Stadia on April 23. This new and improved edition of the Yakuza spin-off will come with improved visuals, a smooth 60 frames-per-second and faster load times. That's on top of all the DLC released for Judgment so far.

Unfortunately, the PS5 version will not be a free upgrade for existing owners on PS4.

Judgment was made by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the folks best known for the Yakuza series of Japanese crime dramas. This new title launched exclusively for PlayStation 4 in Japan back in December 2018, ahead of a global release the following June. Generally, critics were on board with Judgment.

While the reception from the media has been positive, the game hasn't entirely escaped controversy. Following Judgment's Japanese release, actor Pierre Taki - who portrays and voices Kyohei Hamura in the title - tested positive for cocaine use in March 2019. Publisher Sega had a rather scorched Earth approach. The firm scrubbed Taki from Judgment for its Western release, pulling his likeness and voice lines, as well as any reference to him being in the game from press materials and even pulling Judgment from sale.

Sega might have been furious about the controversy, but sales of Judgment almost doubled - rising 97% week-on-week - following news of Taki's chemical transgressions. In April 2019, Sega revealed the new character model for Hamura.

Following its launch, freelancer Alan Wen wrote that Judgment might be a new take on the Yakuza IP, but its female characters still played into tired old tropes.