It may be hard to believe, but a new Yakuza/Like a Dragon game was released in Hawaii in 2025 in the form of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza, as well as updates to Director's Cut Yakuza 0, as well as Kiwami and Kiwami 2.
What can be said, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is busy in 2025, but really, when are they not busy? There is also a Kiwami 3 Direct scheduled next week on December 23rd!
That said, there was a point when you couldn't admit you were a fan of the series, at least, that series lead and executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama told Sony as part of a new post on the PlayStation Blog highlighting Like a Dragon's 20th anniversary.
I'm afraid to go in like a dragon, so I keep playing yakuza spin-offs instead
There are so many mainline yakuza games, so why not start with a spin-off?
There's never been a bad time to be a Dragons fan, but apparently that wasn't the case internally
When The PlayStation Blog asked Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio what they were most proud of now compared to when the series began, Yokoyama highlighted a very sad reality that fans and developers alike were a part of.
“Maybe people can finally say they like the Like a Dragon series more openly,” Yokoyama said. “In the past, it wasn't something you could say out loud; its reputation and brand image made it difficult to talk about publicly. In the early days, even some studio developers kept their involvement a secret from their parents or girlfriends.
However, Yokoyama claims that after 10 years, Ryu Ga Gotoku studio staff “started to accept their work with pride.” So much so that even being part of the Yakuza/Like A Dragon franchise helped one get approval for marriage.
Yokoyama further explained, “It really sunk in how much the presence and perception of the series had evolved in the world at that time.
So what does the future hold for the Like a Dragon series?
“Now that RGG Studios is growing into a recognized brand, we want to continue to carefully nurture it into something that our staff, partners, artists and fans can all be proud of,” he concluded.
To me, that looks like a lot of the games the series has already outlined, including Stranger Than Heaven, which looks great.
- issued
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February 21, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood, intense violence, partial nudity, sexual themes, strong language, use of alcohol
- developer(s)
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Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Geoff Keighley and Hollow Knight: Silksong's Imaginary Beef was my favorite thing about the game awards
Hollow Knight: I'm sitting here eating popcorn while Silksong and Geof Keighley duke it out.
