Yakuza Kiwami 3 introduces a few fun new mechanics, with one of them being emotes! While emotes have become essential to modern games, Yakuza Kiwami 3 allows Kiryu to finally express himself outside of cutscenes by allowing players to press a specific button to wave, but is that all it does?
There's actually a reason why you should walk around emoting in Yakuza Kiwami 3, and we'll explain below. You'll find the exact purpose of emotes right here, and it might become a staple of your gameplay, just as much as punching and kicking.
What Do Training Points Do in Yakuza Kiwami 3 (& How to Get Them)
Training Points are essential for increasing Kiryu's fighting abilities in Yakuza Kiwami 3. Here's how to get them and what to do with them.
What Do Emotes Do in Yakuza Kiwami 3?
How to Emote
Emoting in Yakuza Kiwami 3 allows Kiryu to wave at NPCs and receive unique responses, as some will turn their heads and react accordingly with waves, bows, and greetings. However, that's not the only thing emotes can do.
Players can emote to complete the Chief of Security, Osamu Yasumura's Requests at the Morning Glory General Store, which rewards Funds for Morning Glory and unique items.
Outside of greeting NPCs and completing Chief of Security Requests, it seems that emotes don't have an extended purpose that will benefit players in and out of combat.
To emote in Yakuza Kiwami 3, you just need to hit Square when you're out of combat. This will allow Kiryu to wave his hand at other NPCs. This action can also be achieved while riding the Street Surfer.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 75 /100 Critics Rec: 70%
- Released
- February 11, 2026
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega









