Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza heads to vast new Hawaiian paradise

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is reportedly bigger and larger than the previous spin-off, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Read on to learn more about what RGG Studio said during RGG SUMMIT 2024.

Pirate Majima Sets Sail in 2025Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Promises to be Bigger and Bolder

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is taking a high-seas turn into the even more absurd with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and fans should brace themselves for an adventure that’s not only bigger but bolder than ever before. During the recent RGG SUMMIT 2024, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s president, Masayoshi Yokoyama, said that the game’s story and world will be about 1.3 to 1.5 times larger than Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

For those who felt that The Man Who Erased His Name was a relatively compact experience, RGG Studio seems intent on blowing the doors off expectations with Pirate Yakuza. According to Yokoyama, the game isn’t just a minor expansion of the previous title—it’s an adventure on a whole new scale.

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

Beyond this, though, is the sheer magnitude of the game’s content. Whether it’s the brawling combat, which has been a cornerstone of the series, or the unconventional side activities and mini games, the game guarantees to be overflowing with things to do. Yokoyama himself hinted that the customary notion of "Gaiden" being a "a spin-off" or "side story" is progressing. It is "gradually vanishing from us," Yokoyama explained. In other words, this could be not just a small side story but rather a comprehensive experience that could stand on par with mainline entries.

Set in and around the enchanting Hawaiian islands, the game is said to be a refreshing change of pace, even more than the previous title. The ever-alluring Goro Majima, voiced once again by the talented Hidenari Ugaki, is front and center in this seafaring escapade. Majima wakes up washed ashore and somehow finds himself becoming a daring pirate in Hawaii. How so? No one outside of the development team knows yet, but Ugaki himself is excited but discreet.

"The information about the game has finally been announced, but there are many other intriguing elements and there is still a lot of information I want to share," 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, even teased that Ryuji Akiyama, who plays Masaru Fujita, even has a live-action scene in the exciting game. As for what could potentially be, Akiyama teased that "there was one particularly intriguing 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 lovely ladies 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."

The "lovely ladies" could be pertaining to the "Minato Ward girls," who will not only appear in live-action, but also as CG in the highly anticipated game. In July of this year, the studio held auditions for "Minato Girls" to appear in their next game. 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 what happened during the auditions, you can check out our article below!