Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Will be Much Larger than Like a Dragon Gaiden

Get ready to set sail on an adventure unlike any other! The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is about to get a whole lot wilder with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, a game promising to be significantly larger and more ambitious than its predecessor, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Discover what RGG Studio revealed at RGG SUMMIT 2024.

Pirate Majima Sets Sail in 2025

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii – Bigger and Bolder Than Ever

Prepare for a high-seas adventure unlike anything seen before! RGG Studio President Masayoshi Yokoyama announced at RGG SUMMIT 2024 that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii's story and world will be a massive 1.3 to 1.5 times larger than Like a Dragon Gaiden.

For those who found The Man Who Erased His Name relatively compact, Pirate Yakuza is set to shatter expectations. This isn't a simple expansion; it's a completely new scale of adventure.

"We don’t even know the exact area of the city itself," Yokoyama teased in a Famitsu interview. "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]."

But the scale goes beyond just size. Expect a jam-packed experience filled with the series' signature brawling combat, quirky side activities, and mini-games. Yokoyama hinted that the traditional "Gaiden" label as a spin-off or side story is evolving, "gradually disappearing," suggesting this could be a fully-fledged experience on par with mainline entries.

Set in and around the Hawaiian islands, the game promises a significant departure from previous titles. The charismatic Goro Majima, voiced again by Hidenari Ugaki, takes center stage in this unexpected pirate adventure. Awakening on a Hawaiian beach as a pirate, Majima's journey is shrouded in mystery. Even Ugaki, while excited, remains tight-lipped:

"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 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, Summer Uika (voice of Noah Ritchie) and Ryuji Akiyama (voice of Masaru Fujita) offered tantalizing hints. Akiyama teased a live-action scene and a memorable recording experience involving an aquarium and "a lot of beautiful women," possibly referring to the "Minato Ward girls" who will appear both in live-action and CG. Ryosuke Horii, commenting on the auditions for these characters, noted the passion and love for the series shown by the participants.

For more details on the auditions, check out our related article!