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Two spin-offs and a new main game are on the way.
After the runaway success of Yakuza: Like a Dragon back in 2020, Sega’s Ryu Ga Gotoku studio has been quietly working on developing the next big game in the long-running Yakuza franchise. After a brief tease a few weeks ago, we received some more concrete details this week, alongside some additional promising announcements.
Firstly, during yesterday’s PlayStation State of Play presentation, it was revealed that a remastered version of the Yakuza spin-off game Like a Dragon: Ishin! will be releasing in February of 2023. This game, depicting a Meiji-era samurai story rather than a tale of organized crime, was originally released exclusively in Japan in 2014. This new version will have a full worldwide release, with the game completely rebuilt in Unreal Engine 4.
Secondly, in a separate announcement from Sega, it was revealed that another spin-off title will also be releasing in 2023: Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. This spin-off game will focus on the story of longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu and the events of his life between Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. It seems that, going forward, Sega will be moving away from the “Yakuza” branding in its titles, making Like a Dragon the official series name.
WHAT DID YAKUZA FANS DO TO DESERVE ALL THIS?!
😭 WE'RE EATING SO GOOD RN pic.twitter.com/y87ZzLR3Uj— Yakuza Guy @ Yakuza Ishin!! (@VenomDeathNlNJA) September 14, 2022
Finally, in a brief tease, it was revealed that the next mainline game in the series, Like a Dragon 8, is planned for release in 2024. This game will focus on both Kiryu and Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, in a new RPG adventure.
All three of these games are confirmed to be releasing on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.
