Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have announced a release date for the next game in the Like A Dragon series (formerly the Yakuza series), titled Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth. The game will be released on 26 January 2024 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. The news was announced during the RGG Summit Fall 2023.
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio also showed off a new trailer for Infinite, which depicted Kasuga Ichiban explaining his predicament. He’s searching for his mother, whom he had previously presumed dead, and has now ended up in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Story Trailer
Of course, things are set off by the typical series of crime conspiracies and melodrama back in Tokyo and Yokohama – which see Ichiban get flown to Hawaii, knocked out by a conman cab driver, and washing up on a beach. He’s arrested for indecency, and runs into original protagonist Kazuma Kiryu while in custody – Kiryu and Ichiban will be dual protagonists in Infinite Wealth.
The two will have run-ins with the local Chinese mafia, the Barracudas, as well as the yakuza, while on this journey. Some kind of wellness cult also seems to be involved. Ichiban’s pals and party members from Yakuza: Like A Dragon (Yakuza 7) will also join him in Hawaii.
Sadly, it’s also revealed that Kiryu is dying of cancer.
The trailer also shows glimpses of a much older Saejima, Akiyama, and Majima, major characters who have played a significant part in the series, who Kiryu meets up with as he comes to terms with the end of his life. In a cast interview held after the reveal, actor Takaya Kuroda, who plays Kiryu, spoke briefly of his own struggles with illness, which he channelled for this role.
Then, a little something more lighthearted – surfing, karaoke, and paragliding were shown as mini-games, as well as plenty of fun brawls, including one with a giant shark and octopus.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Gameplay Trailer
A second trailer showed off more of the world’s exploration, featuring Segway riding, more mini-games like Crazy Delivery, a Crazy Taxi-style bicycle delivery service, and more adult-themed pursuits. Retro Sega games like Sega Bass Fishing, Virtua Fighter 3, and SpikeOut will be playable.
The world will have dynamic weather, and the turn-based combat system returns with some tweaks, including freedom of movement, and Kiryu’s ability to take things into real-time combat. Jobs, which act as the class system, have new additions such as the pyrodancer, housekeeper, action star, and others, providing new abilities and costumes.
The Poundmates summoning service also returns, with several new and returning characters – including the lobster. A new game mode, called Sujimon, will let you collect defeated enemies like Pokemon and battle them against other characters.
In an interview held at the RGG Summit, studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama revealed that Kiryu’s shocking new hairstyle is due to his illness, and that Kiryu’s diminishing abilities are the reason for teaming up with Ichiban and his friends.
In the English version of the RGG Summit 2023, titled Like A Dragon Direct, it was also revealed that legendary actor Danny Trejo will be providing the English voice of Dwight, the leader of the Barracudas. Additionally, Daniel Dae Kim will be playing Yakuza leader, Masataka Eniba.
Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
Elsewhere in the RGG Summit, the studio revealed the opening movie for Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which features an original track composed by Japanese alternative musician Yojiro Noda, and featuring rapper J.I.D.
It was also announced that a trial version of Infinite Wealth will be included with Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.
Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Own Name launches on 9 November 2023 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth will be released on 26 January 2024 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One.
