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

Prepare for a swashbuckling adventure unlike any other! The upcoming Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii promises to be significantly larger and more ambitious than its predecessor, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Discover the exciting details revealed at RGG SUMMIT 2024.

Majima's Hawaiian Hijinks Set Sail in 2025

A Bigger, Bolder Pirate Adventure Awaits

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is charting a course for even more outlandish territory with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. RGG Studio President Masayoshi Yokoyama announced at RGG SUMMIT 2024 that the game's world and story will be a substantial 1.3 to 1.5 times larger than Like a Dragon Gaiden.

For those who found The Man Who Erased His Name relatively concise, Pirate Yakuza aims 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 revealed in a Famitsu interview (machine translation). "Of course, there's Honolulu City, which appeared in [Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth], and various stages like Madlantis, so I think the game's volume is much larger than [Like a Dragon Gaiden]."

The game's content is equally expansive. Expect the series' signature brawling combat, alongside a plethora of quirky side activities and mini-games. Yokoyama hinted at a shift in the "Gaiden" concept, suggesting it's moving beyond a simple spin-off or side story, becoming a more substantial experience comparable to mainline entries.

Set amidst the Hawaiian islands, the game promises a significant change of pace. The charismatic Goro Majima, voiced again by Hidenari Ugaki, takes center stage in this unexpected pirate adventure. The circumstances of Majima's transformation remain a mystery, but Ugaki, while excited, remains tight-lipped.

"The game's information has finally been announced, but there are many other elements, and a lot more I want to tell you," Ugaki commented. "I tend to talk a lot, but I've been told not to say anything, so I'm not completely satisfied yet."

Adding to the intrigue, voice actress First Summer Uika (Noah Ritchie) teased a live-action scene featuring Ryuji Akiyama (Masaru Fujita). Akiyama himself offered a cryptic hint: "There was one interesting recording scene; when I went to the restroom, there was an aquarium with a clownfish... Also, there were a lot of beautiful women 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."

These "beautiful women" may refer to the "Minato Ward girls," who will appear in both live-action and CG form. The studio held auditions for these characters earlier this year. 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."

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