How to play the Yakuza games on your mobile phone

If you have enjoyed fighting through the streets of Tokyo, collecting toys at arcades, completing bizarre side-quests, and being incredibly close to - but not actually part of - of the Yakuza then you're probably overjoyed that Yakuza can now be played on mobile. But, that's not the reason you're here. You're likely here because you want to know the How of getting to play it on mobile - which is actually quite easy.

If you don't already love Yakuza then I'm sure you will shortly after starting. I've been watching somebody play through the series recently, and just a few hours into Yakuza 0 they've broken away from the story and started killing time in arcades, singing karaoke, helping out a guy who is definitely not selling magic mushrooms and even protecting definitely-not Michael Jackson from zombies as they record their next hit song, directed by definitely-not Steven Speilberg.

Thanks to xCloud services, all of the remastered versions of Yakuza 0 through 5 will be playable on mobile devices soon! Specifically, Android devices at the moment, so if you have an iPhone you might be out of luck for now - although a solution is in the works. You might be wondering how to play these games, especially as it will bring hours of gameplay to your mobile phone, for a fraction of the cost of the individual games themselves.

You may be wondering how xCloud/Xbox Game Pass works and how you can make Yakuza play on your android device, so let’s get into it.

What you need to play Yakuza on mobile phones

First, you’ll need an Android phone or tablet that is currently running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow or a later version. It'll also need to have Bluetooth 4.0 compatibility or greater. These are the system requirements for the Xbox Game Pass app that you'll need to download from the Google Play Store.

Next, you will need a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which is a Microsoft service that costs £10.99 a month, though there are deals out there to pay just £1 for your first month. This service actually has a bunch of free games, which you can play right on your mobile device. Check out our list of all of the Xbox Game Pass games which you can play with touch controls if you like.

You will need a fast Wi-Fi or cellular connection to play Yakuza as well. Microsoft suggests connecting your router through a 5GHz Wi-Fi signal, though what is important is that you have a download speed of at least 10Mbps for a seamless experience playing.

This next thing is a bit tricky, you will need a compatible controller, as Yakuza does not have touch controls. You will need a controller that can connect either via Bluetooth or USB. If you decide to go with a USB controller, you should be able to use a micro USB - like an Xbox wireless controller - to USB-A cable with an OTG adapter, so that it can fit in your phone’s charging port.

You can use the Bluetooth-ready Xbox One wireless controller with an added phone clip too if you want to go with something easy, but some of the controllers with glossy plastic near the shoulder buttons don’t support Bluetooth, so it is best to check before purchasing!

Now, let’s get down to actually using the app and getting into Yakuza on mobile phone

Once you are sure your phone is set up, download the Xbox Game Pass App from Google Play - this is the app with the green background, not the white one (which is a Beta version).
Open the app and sign in to your Microsoft account, to access your library of games. From inside this app, you should be able to search for the Yakuza game of your choosing, before hitting Play next to the game name.

It is worth connecting your controller before launching your game. If you do not do this, the game will give you a warning so that you can connect it up before the game begins. If you don’t have your controller connected, you won’t be able to properly play.

It may take a few moments for the game to boot, but it should load with all of your progress from your PC or Xbox if you have been playing Yakuza there. As these games can be quite long, I am sure being able to play them on all of your consoles and devices will help you explore all of Tokyo whenever you have a chance to.