96v60

Sega announced that it has given an official license to BBGame to release a mobile game themed after the Yakuza game series, which is nowadays formally known as Like a Dragon. The game's full title is City of Wars Powered by Like a Dragon, and BBGame just released it in Japan and East Asia on March 27, 2025.

BBGame also set up the Yakuza mobile game's official website, which includes a video message from Masayoshi Yokoyama, the head of the Like a Dragon series developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. The site also includes a set of images that explain the mobile app's gameplay systems.

City of Wars Powered by Like a Dragon will have players build their own town and a faction while cooperating with fellow to capture towns owned by other opposing factions. The mobile game has a single unified global server, so players will engage in cross-regional interactions regardless of their set languages.

Players can also recruit characters from the Like A Dragon / Yakuza game series, including Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, to their fighting team. Their respective Japanese voice actors, such as Takaya Kuroda and Hidenari Ugaki, will also return to reprise their roles. The mobile game also has a Yakuza series staple feature where players can interact with cabaret club hostesses and give them gifts to receive skills in return.

Here are official images of the Yakuza mobile game.

City of Wars Powered by Like A Dragon is now available for iOS and Android mobile devices in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.

The post Yakuza Mobile Game Is City of Wars Powered by Like a Dragon appeared first on Siliconera.

A new collab is coming to Among Us featuring various iconic characters from the Like a Dragon, aka Yakuza, series. The collaboration is set to start on March 26, 2025, and it will run in-game until June 24, 2025.

Innersloth teased the collaboration by sharing a picture on a social media post in which silhouettes of the crewmates doing karaoke appeared to be dressed in cosplay and singing karaoke. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG Studio) would later confirm the crossover by revealing the characters present in the image on its social media .

The Like a Dragon character skins featured in the new Among Us collab include Kazuma Kiryu, Ichiban Kasuga, Tianyou Zhao, Taiga Saejima, various versions of Goro Majima including his classic design, his design from Yakuza 0, and his latest appearance as a pirate captian in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, as well as the lobster Nancy.

Furthermore, the latest showcase by RGG Studio included a music video of the famous “Bakamitai” Yakuza song performed by Kiryu Kazuma’s voice actor Takaya Kuroda with the video featuring the Among Us crossover. The music video appears on minute 1:21 of the stream, and you can check it out here:

Innersloth has added various crossover characters to Among Us in the past including ones from Hololive, Ace Attorney, Untitled Goose Game, and Undertale. Additionally, the crewmates also appeared in other games like Balatro, with the most recent one being an appearance in the Switch exclusive title Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble.

Among Us is readily available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC, and the Yakuza Like a Dragon crossover is on the way.

The post Yakuza Characters Among Us Like a Dragon Collab appeared first on Siliconera.

The PS5 has been out for a while now, but that doesn’t mean that developers have stopped making games for the PS4. It’s still going strong, and we’ve had a look into the console’s library to find our favorite 3D turn-based JRPGs. If you’re looking for a game to play on your PlayStation 4 then we have 10 must-play JRPGs listed below.

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age 394b6e

Dragon Quest is one of the most iconic series of all time, and when it comes to turn-based JRPGs it’s one of the first series that will likely come to mind. However, the most famous games in the series are the original pixel art games. While 3D designs were introduced in Dragon Quest IX, it only reached its full modern form in one of the series’ greatest entries, Dragon Quest XI.

If you love the combat in other Dragon Quest games, then you’re getting more of that here, alongside the other Dragon Quest hallmarks. You’ll explore a wide-open world full of secrets, speak with NPCs, and feel the world change seemingly separate from your actions. It wraps everything fans have loved about the series for decades in a gripping and fresh new story.

Persona 3 Reload n5a5q

Persona is one of the most popular series of turn-based JRPGs, and Persona 3 is a personal favorite – despite the original not allowing you to control your teammates. Persona 5 Royal is perhaps the more obvious choice for this slot – and it is incredible – I was surprised to find that the excellent remake Persona 3 Reload was simultaneously released on PS4 as well as PS5.

Aside from shiny new graphics, and a UI so beautiful it will make you weep, Persona 3 Reload adds new battle elements including the much needed alterations to the game’s difficulty. There are more Personas, items, and fusions than ever before, and you don’t have to worry about upsetting people and reversing their social links. Persona 3 is a must play, and if you’re used to the comforts of Persona 5 then Reload is the version you’ll want.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth 5l6q4r

Another extremely recent release that is also available on PS4, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is one of the best games in the Yakuza series. While games in the series are usually action RPGs, this changed with the also brilliant Yakuza: Like A Dragon, where our new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga perceives every street brawl as a turn-based battle. Despite being ed by the original protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, both of our guys take turns when they fight.

In Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Ichiban travels to Hawaii to find his biological mother after being told where she lives. He finds that she has gone missing, and after a chance encounter, he teams up with Kiryu to solve the mystery. It’s not only a heart-warming story, but it has all of the goofy side quests, must-play mini games, and karaoke that the series is known for.

Valkyria Chronicles 4 625g64

When it comes to turn-based JRPGs, Valkyria Chronicles 4 is instantly intriguing with its dreamy yet comic book-style aesthetic. Unlike other JRPGs, which are set in high school, and / or epic open world exploration, Valkyria Chronicles is based on war. The series as a whole is about your army’s strategic plays, and the bonds between your units.

Valkyria Chronicles' strength as a series has long been its robust post game. There is almost more to do after you roll credits than before, and Valkyria Chronicles 4 really pushes the boat out on this. Alongside more battles, there are six more recruitable characters, and even characters you can bring back from the dead. If you’re looking to try out the series, the fourth entry puts its best foot forward.

Metaphor: ReFantazio 726k1h

One of the best games of 2024, Metaphor: ReFantazio, released on PS4 as well as PS5 making it the perfect game for this list. The team that created Metaphor contains many of the developers from the modern Persona series, and it shows through the structure of the gameplay. Metaphor is more high-fantasy than high school, but you will still split your days between crawling dungeons and bonding with your party .

When the king is assassinated it is decided that the next king will be decided democratically. In an effort to prevent the king’s assassin Louis from taking the throne, you decide to run for the position. You and the few followers that you recruit travel the world, helping citizens in different towns around the country. Metaphor keeps the spirit of Persona, but includes a lot of learnings from the series’ weaknesses.

Disgaea 5 4x5o3v

Disgaea 5 is one of the darker entries in what has historically been a goofy JRPG series. You still have the Prinnys – human souls trapped in a penguinesque bodies that are obsessed with the word dude – but there is the overarching sense of foreboding. You get the feeling that the game is taking itself a bit more seriously even if you don’t.

Disgaea 5 is a mix of visual novel, and 3D isometric strategic battles that can be quite challenging if you don’t get to grips with how the combat system works. All of the Disgaea games tie together, but you can enjoy each as their own standalone game, up to and including the most recent Disgaea 7, on PS4. A fantastic series to lose your life to.

Final Fantasy IX 2t6k4p

Almost every Final Fantasy game is available on PS4, though most are excluded from this list as the early games are in 2D, and the later games are action RPGs. In our list of the best 3D turn-based JRPGs on Switch we included Final Fantasy VII, and Final Fantasy VIII – both of which are excellent games – but we thought that Final Fantasy IX also deserved the love, particularly given the long-standing rumors that a remake is on the way.

Final Fantasy IX takes everything learned from the previous games of the series, and works as a nostalgic trip down memory lane for long-time fans of the series. The developers took players’ favorite parts of the other games in the series, and mixed them with a new and heartfelt story making it one of the best Final Fantasy games.

Digimon Cyber Sleuth: Hacker’s Memory 526i3b

You’ve likely heard something along the lines of Digimon being a more mature version of Pokémon, and while it definitely has darker themes, the combat systems are not at all similar. They are both creature collectors, but how those creatures grow stronger, and your team works together is completely different. Digimon not only grow stronger, but they grow weaker and stronger again to reach their final forms, and you battle with three at a time.

The actual ‘mons aside, Digimon Cyber Sleuth: Hacker’s Memory is far darker than even Drampa burning down the houses of bullies with them inside. It’s deep and emotional and the polar opposite to Pokémon’s surface level stories, and it’s all the stronger for it. It’s very narratively deep and feels almost like a visual novel with how extensive the story-telling is. If you want a deep JRPG adventure, then Hacker’s Memory is definitely worth playing.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III 5ddb

The Legend of Heroes is a long-running and iconic JRPG series, and Trails of Cold Steel is one of its most iconic subseries. If you’re new to the Trails of Cold Steel, you should probably start at the beginning as the story carries over between entries, but we’ve picked the third game here as it’s probably the strongest. Trails of Cold Steel III’s introduction will catch you up, but you owe it to yourself to play the whole subseries.

The games in the Trails of Cold Steel series tell an epic adventure. In the third game our characters are a little older, and the war is over, but there is still political tensions hiding just beneath the surface. It’s heavy on the story, and how the characters live and interact with each other, but also has a deep combat system. If you’re a fan of turn-based party combat, and how the characters synergize in battle, then this is the choice for you.

Blue Reflection: Second Light 2l5so

The least well-known series on the list, Blue Reflection didn’t receive much hype when it launched back in 2017. It was seen as a mediocre JRPG with your standard themes of high school girls and the power of friendship. However, the sequel Blue Reflection: Second Light allows the series to step into its own, with powerful storytelling, and touching characterization.

It’s clear that lessons have been learned from the mediocre reception to the first game. Combat system has changed from the original to make it more complex and engaging. The same goes for the characters, which are not only more fleshed out, but the juxtaposition between the intense battles and the girls’ touching relationships make for a stark contrast. One to try.

Let us know what your favorite JRPGs for the PlayStation 4 are in the comments below!

The post Best 3D Turn-based JRPGs on PS4 appeared first on Siliconera.

Yakuza star Ichiban Kasuga is ready to make a splash, as the Ichiban’s Holiday Like a Dragon crossover DLC will go live in Dave the Diver on April 10, 2025. Mintrocket ed a Dev Dive episode, giving behind-the-scenes details on the add-on, as well as a closer look at its gameplay.

You can watch the Ichiban’s Holiday Dev Dive for Dave the Diver here:

The story of Ichiban’s Holiday follows him and Kashiwagi, the bartender from Survive Bar, visiting the Blue Hole for a vacation. It doesn’t take long before he witnesses Sea Blue capturing dolphins and picks a fight with them, though. Kasuga can dive in and explore the sea with Dave, as well as fight alongside Cobra when infiltrating Sea Blue’s base. You can switch which one you control, and the whole sequences is reminiscent of a retro beat ‘em up. There will also be a surprise at the end of the stage.

The collaboration isn’t all just Like a Dragon appearing in Dave the Diver content based on the Yakuza series. Kasuga’s also introducing some unique flair, as you can sing karaoke at Bancho’s Bar. It plays exactly like the original mini-game from the Like a Dragon games.

“Ichiban’s Holiday” will be the first piece of paid DLC for Dave the Diver. As well, it’s a limited one, since it’s a special collaboration with a big game series. Interested players will only have six months from when it comes out on April 10, 2025 to get it.

Dave the Diver is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, and macOS.

The post Release Date Set for Dave the Diver Yakuza: Like a Dragon DLC appeared first on Siliconera.

The Steam Spring Sale can often be overwhelming, with thousands of titles slashed in price, it can be hard to figure out which games are a good deal. There is also the problem of choice, and gamers don’t want to spend their hard earned cash on a game they don’t like. If you’re an RPG fan, then we’ve rounded up ten of the best RPGs in the Steam Spring Sale that are worth both your time and money.

Here are our recommendations for the best value RPGs in the Steam Spring Sale.

Chrono Trigger f6p18

Chrono Trigger is one of the best games of all time, and while the Steam version isn’t the best, this Steam Spring Sale discount is still a bargain. One of the most iconic turn-based RPGs, Chrono Trigger is about exploring time periods, and getting dragged into a quest far bigger than yourself. With seven recruitable characters, and 12 different endings, Chrono Trigger set up many features that great RPGs use to this day.

Chrono Trigger is available for $3.74 until the end of the Steam Spring Sale.

Yakuza 0 2t6e2m

All of the Yakuza games are available during the Steam Spring Sale, but we recommend Yakuza 0 as a starting point if you haven’t played anything from the series. Yakuza 0 is not only chronologically the first game in the series, telling the back story to two of the series’ main characters Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, but it’s also one of the best. This action RPG series is one that every RPG fan should try.

Yakuza 0 costs just $10.99 during the Steam Spring Sale.

Persona 4 Golden l2e3r

Like the Yakuza series, the modern Persona series including recent releases like Persona 3 Reload and Metaphor: ReFantazio, are all available during the Steam Spring Sale, but we’re recommending Persona 4 Golden. It’s one of the lesser played games in the series as it was a PlayStation Vita exclusive for almost a decade, and as all Persona games are standalone stories, it’s a great place to dive in. This turn-based RPG asks you to strengthen your friendships to unlock your true power.

Persona 4 Golden can be bought for just $11.99 during the Steam Spring Sale.

Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix 384xt

This one is more expensive than most games on this list, but it also includes four Kingdom Hearts games and two movies. Another classic RPG series, Kingdom Hearts blends Final Fantasy and Disney characters in an action RPG with a completely unique battle system. The Remix collection includes the first two mainline games as well as Birth By Sleep, Re:chain of Memories, and a cutscene collection from 358/2, and Re:coded. It’s a great starting point in the series.

Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix costs $29.99 until the end of the Steam Spring Sale.  

Final Fantasy VII 2q4mh

When it comes to classic RPGs there isn’t anything more iconic than Final Fantasy VII. You can also purchase the remakes during the Steam Spring Sale, but the original game is available at an incredible price. Take on the epic adventure, which sees Cloud and his clan travel across the continent, visiting different towns and cultures, and discovering who the true enemy is along the way, with a deep turn-based battle system.

The original Final Fantasy VII is just $4.79 during the Steam Spring Sale.

Nier: Automata 4t1d21

If you like RPGs that challenge your preconceptions, and break the fourth wall with unexpected twists, then action RPG Nier: Automata is for you. Not only does it look gorgeous even with its fast-paced combat system, but it combines this with its well-built world, and engaging storyline. With multiple endings that require multiple playthroughs to see them all, Nier: Automata asks you to question what you believe about the genre.

Nier: Automata costs just $15.99 during the Steam Spring Sale.

Live A Live 1b58t

A gorgeous 2DHD remake of a classic turn-based RPG, Live A Live tells eight separate stories across different time periods, protagonists, and gaming genres, before they all align for one final adventure. Live A Live is a fighting game, a tower defense game, a stealth game, and a visual novel as well as an RPG, and it blends everything together beautifully and seamlessly. A must-play older game that everyone should experience.

Live A Live is available for $19.99 until the end of the Steam Spring Sale.

Lies of P 102v54

A more modern game than most on this list – hence the price – we’ve added Lies of P as our soulslike of choice as it’s a great entry point for this subsection of the RPG genre. Far more story heavy than other soulslike games, Lies of P tells a steampunk Pinocchio story with challenging combat, and choices that have major outcomes on the story.

Lies of P is on sale for $35.99 during the Steam Spring Sale.

Trails of Cold Steel 242g1a

Starting in 1989, there are few series that are as long-lasting as The Legend of Heroes, and almost all of these games are on offer as part of the Steam Spring Sale. Trails of Cold Steel is one of the best games to jump into as it includes a four game story arc with a satisfying start and end. Once you get into the turn-based RPG series there are so many other games to explore that your wallet might just regret grabbing this first game.

Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel currently costs $19.99 during the Steam Spring Sale.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch 382t4d

One of the most popular RPGs from the PS3 era, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch combines whimsical storytelling, and the gorgeous art style of Studio Ghibli. Evocative voice acting brings the whole world to life as you feel as if you are living in a Ghibli movie while playing this turn-based RPG. This is the perfect game if you’re looking for somewhere whimsical to get lost in and escape.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch costs $7.49 during the Steam Spring Sale.

The Steam Spring Sale is on now, and ends on March 20.

The post Ten Great Value RPGs to Grab During The Steam Spring Sale appeared first on Siliconera.

Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio confirmed the existence of a bug in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii that impedes progress under certain circumstances. The glitch is present in Patch 1.12 of the game, and the developers are currently working on a new patch that will fix it. No release window has been given yet.

The bug revolves around the Sicko Snap minigame in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. After Patch 1.12, after purchasing Golden Ball from the Snap Points Exchange menu available at the minigame reception, opening the Inventory may cause the game to become unplayable. The developers have offered no further details on how this glitch works, or in which platforms it is present.

It seems like no other Golden Ball items are affected by this glitch, so people that have already obtained the item prior to Patch 1.12 should be in the clear. Fortunately, players can easily avoid this glitch by abstaining from purchasing Golden Ball from the Snap Points Exchange, at least until a new patch that fixes the issue is released.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC. A new patch fixing the current Sicko Snap glitch will appear in the future.

The post Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Game-Breaking Bug Confirmed appeared first on Siliconera.

In an interview with Famitsu, Ryu ga Gotoku Studio Chief Producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto and Chief Director Ryosuke Horii opened up about development on Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. More specifically, both Horii and Sakamoto shared details about sailing in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza, and how difficult it was to develop this system. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

Up until the end of the development process, Sakamoto was worried about this key feature in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza. He also mentions that the development team ended up working through several concepts, while Horii elaborated that from the beginning the idea primarily focused on strengthening the crew and expanding the range of actions available to the ship. Horii went on to, jokingly, say that Ryu ga Gotoku Studio has always been stronger on land.

We've always been making cities, focusing on downtown areas. So we had relatively little experience, and we've never made something like naval battles. The first thing we worked on was making sure that ship movement, with the waves, wouldn't make anyone sick.. Then we moved onto combat, but when we tried to make it more realistic, well.. That's when it became quite difficult.

Horii ended up becoming the studio's proverbial guinea pig. He mentions that since he's arguably the worst at playing games on the team, that if he couldn't make it through one of the test segments, adjustments would be made. Overall, the sailing system in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii ended up working out, with some difficult adjustments made because of Horii.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a spin-off game in the Like a Dragon (or Yakuza) series. It stars Goro Majima, one of the series most recognizable characters, as he sets off on an adventure to regain his memories and wreak havoc on the seas of Hawaii.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC.

The post Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza Sailing Development Was Difficult appeared first on Siliconera.

Though it’s always been some part of the franchise’s DNA, more and more of the Like a Dragon games increasingly operate on an ethos of “why not.” Instead of flipping a switch between gritty crime drama and hijinks, the latest releases spend almost all their time on the silly side. So given that, why not make Majima a pirate captain? Someone at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio inevitably made a joke about his eyepatch and here we are with Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, an entire adventure bent around the goal of making that joke work.

So yep, the Mad Dog of Shimano washes up on a beach with amnesia and becomes a real-fake pirate in a world where a gambling scheme has made old ships and cannons all the rage. Like previous side-story releases, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is made to recycle the environments from the main games and offer something a little different. So in addition to Infinite Wealth’s Honolulu, the new release tacks on sailing and a few islands and makes traversing between locations a big part of the draw.

The narrative is framed as Majima recounting his story months later, making any inaccuracies and embellishments for the sake of fun gameplay totally intended. The first big opponent is a pirate with the less-than-fierce name Keith, and the number of times the game manages to put a full-screen, serious-looking “Keith” interstitial up on screen tells you everything you need to know about the game’s tone. Augmenting this feel is the mix of Yakuza rock with pirate instrumentation and shanties. You can tell the audio team had fun with this one.

Sailing is fairly simple, and much like random ruffians on the games’ streets, you’ll have small ship fights along your way too. These battles, as well as more momentous ones in boss fights and coliseum matches, serve as the primary game progression. You collect crew to operate cannons and machine guns, as well as some to be part of boarding party combat. Money and materials can craft and upgrade better weapons. Pirate renown gates progression. All the side activities feed into at least one of these systems. It ultimately works to tie the game together, in our experience, as everything feels like it’s at least a bit productive.

On land, Majima has access to two combat styles. Mad Dog feels like an offering to old fans, recreating his punching and slicing sort of approach from older games. But most of the work feels like it went into Sea Dog, his pirate-y style. You have swords you can throw, a powerful gunshot and, our favorite, a grappling hook. You can use this to essentially teleport across the fight to a distant foe, and since so many enemies back away and shoot guns, this speeds things up considerably.

The hook is also used outside of battle to retrieve items or swing up to roofs and other platforms for hidden treasures. The generous lock-on function really makes fishing or bug collection easy, and we appreciate that the dev team didn’t insist on making it a test of skill. It’s also not the only unlikely battle accessory you’ll find along the way, but we won’t spoil anything.

While there’s no Animal Crossing island or Pokemon spoof this time, there’s a decent collection of side activities. Of note are the return of Dragon Kart and a nice selection of Master System games! But it’s a bit thinner, for sure. It puts its new ideas largely into the main quest sequences, like ill-advised attempts at 2D sword-fighting and laser-dodging platforming. Hey, they don’t work well, but they’re short! And that makes them tolerable.

Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is fairly long by side game standards, though length will vary wildly depending on how much you get into the side stuff. You can probably power through the five story chapters in 15-20 hours if you only pause to gather what you need, and if you prefer more challenging combat to grinding for power and health upgrades. If you invest fully in completing every single thing? We wouldn't be surprised if you get 45 to 50 out of it. We landed right around 35, working through most main activities while only dabbling in the staple minigames like karaoke and gambling and such.

Without the, ahem, near-infinite wealth of content of its predecessor, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is unlikely to be anyone’s favorite Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio game. But as a side story? It’s a great time.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii launches February 21, 2025 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC.

The post Review: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a Seafaring Side Quest appeared first on Siliconera.

Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio are running a survey for fans of the Like a Dragon (or Yakuza) series to vote on the items included in the next merchandise line inspired by the games. The survey features 100 different items, including the “great fortune gold undies” armor and a karaoke mic, among others.

Fans can now vote on the survey from its official website and the deadline is March 21, 2025. The merchandise survey is being held in order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Yakuza video game series on December 8, 2025, and to involve fans in the 20th anniversary project. The highest ranked items will be turned into merchandise goods and sold within the next two years.

However, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio didn’t specify the number of items will be considered the top. Most of the images used for the goods in the site are only for reference, with the exception of some reproductions. The look of these items might change if they become merchandise.

In addition to the aforementioned items, some other options available to vote include a golden Majima statue, a tattoo gold folding screen, gold plate, 20th anniversary logo crystal trophy, a 20th anniversary sake bottle, character pins, clan pins set, a RGG Studios hoodie, a variety of different types of glasses, a sommelier knife, a karaoke tambourine, a MesuKing card collection, themed apparel such as kimono’s or Yamai’s coat, and more.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will come out for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam on February 21, 2025. A Captain Majima – EP album featuring various tracks from the game will come out in Japan on February 7, 2025.

The post Yakuza Merchandise Survey Includes Gold Undies, Karaoke Mic appeared first on Siliconera.

In an interview, Hidenari Ugaki, the voice actor for Majima Goro in the Like a Dragon (or Yakuza) series spoke about his role in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. This includes discussion about the potential of a Majima focused game in the Like a Dragon series. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

The interviewer asks Majima's voice actor about his role in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, to which he gives quite a lengthy response. He mentioned that Kenji Matsuda approached him after playing Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and found it curious that despite Majima's lack of presence in the game that the character managed to retain a huge amount of popularity.

He briefly goes into his role while sharing a conversation he had with Yokoyama at Tokyo Game Show.

.. At Tokyo Game show, about two years ago, we discussed the future of the series with Yokoyama. During that time I said, "What if we made a Hannya ga Gotoku with Majima as the main character" to which he [Yokoyama] said "That's not going to happen." Despite that, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was produced, and the 20th anniversary logo for the series wasn't drawn with a dragon, but with a hannya. I feel happy that I was able to play Majima again. And I would like to thank each and every fan that has shown their .

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is the latest in the "Gaiden" series. The previous entry, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, focused on previous series protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii focuses on Majima Goro and his escapades sometime after Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will come out for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam on February 21, 2025. A Captain Majima – EP album will release in Japan on February 7, 2025. 

The post Majima Voice Actor Talks About His Role in Pirate Yakuza appeared first on Siliconera.

There’s a new look at Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii gameplay, and this time the trailer focuses on how Goro Majima works in combat. The video is over three minutes long, and it focuses on his Mad Dog and Sea Dog Styles.

After a brief segment just showing off footage of fights, the Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza gameplay gets into more solid examples of how the two fighting styles work in the game. Mad Dog is the more traditional one used by Majima both here and in past Yakuza games. It shows his quick, slashing attacks. Some of the Heat Actions are shown as well, as well as how you can charge moves to deal more damage. The Mad Dog Style Madness Gauge’s Suspicious Men also comes up at about the 1:10 mark, showing how he summons shadow clones to help fight.

The Sea Dog Style, which has Majima dual-wield cutlass swords in this Yakuza game, comes up here. While this is a sword-based style, he can fight at range by throwing the swords, using a chain hook, or firing a pistol. Like Mad Dog, Sea Dog involves summoning “allies,” though the trailer shows they are drawn in with “dark instruments” when the Madness Gauge is full.

Here’s the full Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza gameplay trailer:

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will come out for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam on February 21, 2025. There will also be a Captain Majima - EP album with “him singing” various tracks from the game out in Japan on February 7, 2025. 

The post Majima Heads Into Combat in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza Gameplay Trailer appeared first on Siliconera.

Sega and Ryu ga Gotoku Studio will be holding a Like a Dragon Direct this week to go over new games like Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. We’ll be able to catch it at 9am PT/12pm ET on January 9, 2025, and it will air on both Twitch and YouTube. 

Here’s the embed for the YouTube stream. If you stop by, it will play a trailer for the Goro Majima spin-off due out on February 21, 2025. 

The developer and publisher didn’t mention how long this presentation will be. The two only confirmed that it will cover new Like a Dragon games like Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. The next mainline entry would be the ninth in the series, following Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. 

It is entirely possible that we will also see Project Century turn up during the stream, however. That is a new Ryu ga Gotoku Studio game that came up during The Game Awards 2024 that could be a Yakuza spin-off. After all, in the past we have seen period piece-versions of the games like Like a Dragon: Ishin.  

The Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Like a Dragon Direct will be held at 9am PT/12pm ET on January 9, 2025. The next new game in the series is Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and it will come out on February 21, 2025 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam.

The post Yakuza Game News Coming in Like a Dragon Direct This Week appeared first on Siliconera.

During a recent interview, New Virtua Fighter Project Producer Riichiro Yamada and Head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Masayoshi Yokoyama talked about what’s at the core of the fighting game series and its new entry. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

While talking about what’s at the core of the Virtua Fighter series, Yamada discussed its origins. The developer said that he belongs to the generation that saw the type of movement in fighting games that started with the Virtua Fighter series. Because of having experienced that, Yamada said that he researched and tried to unravel what's at the core of that game and following titles, and found that what has been maintained throughout the Virtua Fighter series has been “innovation.”

Yamada pointed to being tied to this idea of innovation that the team was unable to produce a numbered Virtua Fighter sequel. The producer added that it’s easier said than done when it comes to innovation, and that it used to be simpler in the arcade cabinet days. However, as the gap between arcade games and home consoles narrowed, it became more difficult.

In a previous part of the interview, the developers were asked if they thought the Virtua Fighter series had a chance at success nowadays, due to the rising popularity of Tekken and Street Fighter and their latest entries. To this, Yokoyama said that, as long as it is developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the game will have strengths that no other rival fighting game will have, whether it is the drama, the direction, or the ability to create an entire city.

The New Virtua Fighter game is currently in development by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. There are no announced platforms nor release date yet.

The post Innovation at the Core of New Virtua Fighter Game appeared first on Siliconera.

Sega announced at The Game Awards 2024 that a new Virtua Fighter game is currently in development, with Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio as the developer for it. Additionally, a VF Direct 2024 offering new details about the new title will be held at 12am ET/2pm JST on December 13, 2024. (That's 9pm PT on December 12, 2024.)

The Virtua Fighter game only appeared with a brief teaser trailer showcasing a male character wearing a hat fighting against a blonde, female adversary. The two fought in a rustic setting. Sega hasn’t offered any more details, but we can expect new information to appear soon.

You can check out the teaser trailer here:

As a reminder, Sega previously announced that Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O., an upgraded port of the previously released Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown (also known in Japan as Virtua Fighter esports), will appear on PC sometime in the 2024-2025 Winter season.

The upgraded port of the classic fighting game will include a number of upgrades such as 4K textures and rollback netcode. Additionally, the Version 2.0 update will bring the same balance changes to Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown on PS4 and Japanese Arcades.

The new Virtua Fighter game is currently in development by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. There are no announced platforms yet nor a release date. New information will appear on the VF Direct 2024 on December 13, 2024.

The post New Virtua Fighter Game Announced at TGA 2024 appeared first on Siliconera.

Goro Majima will sing new karaoke songs from Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii on a new album to be released on February 7, 2025 ahead of the game’s release. The “Captain Majima – EP” album will feature 3 songs performed by Goro Majima’s Japanese voice actor, Hidenari Ugaki. [Thanks, PR Times!]

The EP costs 1,500 yen (or approximately $9.87) and will be available for sale from the Wave Master Store. The new Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii album includes 3 tracks performed by Goro Majima’s Japanese voice actor, Hidenari Ugaki. These are “36.5C°Sun,” “Midnight Desire,” and “Goro Pirate Crew Theme” (“Goro Kaizokudan no Tema”) as well as the instrumental version for each one. The album also includes an original sticker as a bonus gift.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a new spin-off title in the Like a Dragon series formerly known as Yakuza outside of Japan. The game follows Goro Majima, the Mad Dog of Shimano, after he wakes up in a Hawaiian island with amnesia and embarks on a pirate adventure to recover his past as well as discover hidden treasures.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will come out for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam on February 21, 2025. The “Captain Majima – EP” album costs 1,500 yen (~$9.87) and will release on February 7, 2025.

The post Majima Sings on Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Album appeared first on Siliconera.