Yakuza and Like a Dragon Studio Teases Its Next Game

Yakuza and Like a Dragon developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio gave fans an early teaser about its next game project, suggesting fans will be “surprised” by the new release. The SEGA studio behind one of the gaming juggernaut’s flagship series has built itself into a mainstay in gaming, thanks to the recent success of its namesake franchise. The Like A Dragon games have seen critical acclaim throughout the most recent entries, with 2020’s Yakuza: Like A Dragon even nominated for “Best RPG” at the 2020 Game Awards.

The reboot of the iconic Yakuza franchise into its modern Like a Dragon iteration saw major changes with the seventh main-series game. Yakuza: Like A Dragon would shift the game from its traditional action combat sequences to a turn-based system, more akin to RPGs than its brawler roots. The game did, however, retain a sprawling city landscape for players to explore, and this year’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth even gave players the chance to switch between new protagonist Ichiban and iconic hero Kiryu. Now, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is hinting at something special in store for fans.

As reported by VGC, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio gave fans the first cryptic teaser about the next project coming from the Yakuza studio. During its “Essence of Fandom” event at Anime Expo, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio stated that fans of the developer would be “surprised” by its next big game release. Fans would also confirm later that the announcement was related to the next game in the Like a Dragon series, currently unannounced by the developer. The studio did not reveal whether it would be a brand-new main-series entry in the franchise or a spinoff title.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Teasing Next Yakuza Game

While Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio was intentionally vague about its next project, the Like a Dragon franchise recently received another surprise announcement. Amazon revealed last month that it is creating a six-episode live-action series based on Like a Dragon, expected to premiere later this year. The series will reportedly follow franchise mainstay Kazuma Kiryu, set in both 1995 and 2005, and will be available in 30 different languages worldwide. Amazon’s Like a Dragon series is currently set to debut on October 24.

A potential new game in the Like a Dragon franchise comes as Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has kept itself busy since the start of 2023. Alongside the newest main-series game earlier this year in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, SEGA and RGG Studio would debut two spinoffs last year. Like a Dragon: Ishin came as a remake of a Japan-exclusive game following a samurai ancestor of Kazuma Kiryu, while Like a Dragon Gaiden follows Kiryu between the events of Yakuza 6 and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Fans of Like a Dragon likely won’t have to wait long for more news about the franchise’s future.

Yakuza

Sega’s Yakuza franchise is a series of action-adventure and role-playing games that revolve around characters who are a part of or associated with dangerous criminal organizations.

The various games in the series tend to be led by gripping, emotional narratives but are supplemented by hilarious side stories and enjoyable mini-games that give players a welcome break from the drama.