The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is set to expand with an exciting new installment, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which promises to be significantly larger than the previous spin-off, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. During the RGG SUMMIT 2024, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s president, Masayoshi Yokoyama, shared insights into what fans can expect from this upcoming title.

Pirate Majima Sets Sail in 2025

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Promises to be Bigger and Bolder

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is venturing into new territory with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, promising an adventure that's not only bigger but also more daring than its predecessors. At the RGG SUMMIT 2024, Masayoshi Yokoyama, president of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, revealed that the game's world and story will be approximately 1.3 to 1.5 times larger than Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

For fans who found The Man Who Erased His Name to be a concise experience, RGG Studio is set to exceed expectations with Pirate Yakuza. Yokoyama emphasized that this game isn't just an expansion of the previous title but an entirely new scale of adventure.

"We don’t even know the exact area of the city itself," Yokoyama shared in a Famitsu interview, translated via machine translation. "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]."

The game's content is set to be expansive, featuring the series' signature brawling combat alongside a variety of quirky side activities and mini-games. Yokoyama hinted that the traditional concept of "Gaiden" as a "spin-off" or "side story" is evolving and "gradually disappearing from us." This suggests that Pirate Yakuza could be a fully-fledged experience, comparable to the mainline entries in the series.

Set against the backdrop of the Hawaiian islands, the game offers a fresh setting and a unique narrative. The charismatic Goro Majima, voiced by Hidenari Ugaki, takes the lead in this seafaring adventure. Majima finds himself washed ashore and inexplicably becomes a pirate in Hawaii. While the details of this transformation remain a mystery, Ugaki expressed excitement but remained tight-lipped about the specifics.

"The information about the game has finally been announced, but there are many other elements and there is still a lot of information I want to tell you," Ugaki said. "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."

First Summer Uika, who voices Noah Ritchie, teased that Ryuji Akiyama, who plays Masaru Fujita, has a live-action scene in the game. Akiyama hinted at an intriguing recording session, mentioning an aquarium with a clownfish and the presence of many beautiful women, possibly referring to the "Minato Ward girls." These characters will appear in both live-action and CG within the game. In July, the studio held auditions for "Minato Girls," and according to Ryosuke Horii, "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."

To learn more about the auditions, you can check out our article below!