New Yakuza Game To Be Far Larger Than Spinoff Gaiden

Prepare for a swashbuckling adventure! The upcoming 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. Details revealed at RGG SUMMIT 2024 paint a picture of a truly expansive game.

Majima's Pirate Adventure Sets Sail in 2025

A Grander Scale for Pirate Yakuza

RGG Studio's president, Masayoshi Yokoyama, confirmed that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii's story and world will be approximately 1.3 to 1.5 times larger than Like a Dragon Gaiden. This isn't a simple expansion; it's a complete shift in scale. Yokoyama hinted at the sheer size, stating (via Famitsu and machine translation), "We don’t even know the exact area of the city itself... there’s Honolulu City, and various stages, such as Madlantis, so I think the game volume is much larger than Like a Dragon Gaiden."

The game's scope extends beyond sheer size. Expect a robust offering of combat, side activities, and mini-games, exceeding expectations for a "Gaiden" title. Yokoyama suggests the traditional understanding of "Gaiden" as a spin-off is evolving, stating that the term is "gradually disappearing from us," implying a main-series quality experience.

A Hawaiian Setting and a Familiar Face

Set in and around the Hawaiian islands, the game promises a refreshing change of pace. The charismatic Goro Majima, voiced again by Hidenari Ugaki, takes center stage in this unexpected pirate adventure. While the specifics of Majima's transformation remain shrouded in mystery, Ugaki expressed his excitement, though remaining tight-lipped about plot details.

Adding to the intrigue, voice actor First Summer Uika (Noah Ritchie) teased a live-action scene featuring Ryuji Akiyama (Masaru Fujita). Akiyama cryptically described an interesting recording session, mentioning an aquarium and "a lot of beautiful women," fueling speculation about the game's content.

Live-Action and CG Integration

These "beautiful women" are likely the "Minato Ward girls," who will appear in both live-action and CG form. Ryosuke Horii shared that the auditions for these roles revealed a strong passion for the series among the participants.

For more information on the auditions, please refer to our related article (link omitted). Get ready for a truly unique and expansive Like a Dragon experience!