Like a Dragon Spin-Off Boasts Expansive World

Prepare for a swashbuckling adventure unlike any other! RGG Studio's Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii promises a significantly larger and more ambitious experience than its predecessor, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Discover the details revealed at RGG SUMMIT 2024.

Majima's Hawaiian Hijinks Set Sail in 2025

A Pirate's Paradise: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Sets Sail on a Larger Scale

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise is charting a course for even more outlandish territory with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. RGG Studio President Masayoshi Yokoyama confirmed at RGG SUMMIT 2024 that the game's world and story will be a substantial 1.3 to 1.5 times larger than Like a Dragon Gaiden.

For players who found The Man Who Erased His Name relatively concise, Pirate Yakuza aims to shatter expectations. Yokoyama emphasized that this isn't a simple expansion, but a completely different scale of adventure. In an interview with Famitsu (machine-translated), he teased, "We don’t even know the exact area of the city itself. Of course there’s Honolulu City, which appeared in [Infinite Wealth], and there are various stages, such as Madlantis, so I think the game volume is much larger than [Like a Dragon Gaiden]."

This expansion extends beyond sheer size; expect a wealth of content. From the series' signature brawling combat to the signature quirky side activities and mini-games, Pirate Yakuza promises an overflowing gameplay experience. Yokoyama hinted at a shift in the "Gaiden" concept, stating that the idea of a "spin-off" or "side story" is fading, suggesting this might be a fully fledged title comparable to mainline entries.

Set amidst the Hawaiian islands, the game offers a significant departure from previous titles. The charismatic Goro Majima, once again voiced by Hidenari Ugaki, takes center stage in this nautical adventure. The game's premise finds Majima washed ashore and inexplicably becoming a pirate. While the specifics remain shrouded in mystery, Ugaki expressed his excitement, though remaining tight-lipped about plot details.

"The game information has finally been announced, but there are many other elements and there is still a lot of information I want to tell you," Ugaki shared. "I have a tendency to talk a lot about various things, but I’ve been told not to say anything, so I’m not completely satisfied yet."

Adding to the intrigue, voice actress First Summer Uika (Noah Ritchie) hinted at a live-action scene featuring Ryuji Akiyama (Masaru Fujita). Akiyama cryptically teased, "there was one interesting recording scene, and when I went to the toilet to relieve myself, there was an aquarium in front of me with a clownfish in it… Also, there were really a lot of beautiful women at the recording… It’s not a love reality show, but with a scene like that, there’s an excitement that makes you mistakenly think you’re popular."

These "beautiful women" are likely the "Minato Ward girls," who will appear in both live-action and CG form. The studio held auditions for these roles earlier this year. Ryosuke Horii commented, "I was glad that many of the people who appeared without knowing what kind of role they would play had a love for the series and a passion to work with us." For more on the auditions, see our related article!