The Next Like a Dragon Game Is A Pirate-Themed Spin-Off Starring Majima
If you thought you’d finally caught up with the Yakuza games, the joke’s on you because there’s another one coming out surprisingly soon. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Sega revealed during a livestream that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is set for a February 28, 2025 release.
It stars the fan-favorite ex-yakuza Goro Majima, who finds himself stranded on an island in the Pacific one year after the events of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Stricken with amnesia, Majima sets out on a quest to regain his memories as he becomes the captain of his own ship and fights other pirates for a legendary treasure. Along the way, he’ll journey to a hidden pirate city and seemingly duel the wrestling star Samoa Joe.
In terms of gameplay, you can assemble a crew and upgrade your vessel as you freely sail the seas and participate in naval battles. In the trailer, we saw a massive scrum during a boarding raid, and the Steam description mentions “real-time cannon battles” between ships. Also of note is that, unlike the recent turn-based RPGs in the series, this one will use more traditional action gameplay. Majima has two fighting styles, “Sea Dog,” where he battles with dual cutlasses and swashbuckling maneuvers, and “Mad Dog,” where he uses speedy moves and his familiar dagger. One element that stood out is that Majima can extend his combos with jumps like in a Devil May Cry-style game, which gives these scuffles a different look.
As can be inferred from the title, it seems like the game will at least partially take place in Hawaii, just like Infinite Wealth, and will presumably re-use at least part of that game’s open world. It’s heavily speculated that one of the reasons why RGG has been able to put out games at such a rapid clip compared to most other modern studios is because they’re not afraid to reutilize areas—this is fine by me as long as these games continue to be weird and interesting.
That said, I’m curious how this installment’s swashbuckling pirate angle will land. While this series is known for being deeply wacky, much of the zaniness is usually relegated to side stories, while the main plot focuses on self-serious drama. By contrast, this one seems to be leaning into a pulpy 17th-century privateer aesthetic pretty hard, tri-corner hats and all. Regardless, we’ll find out if this latest installment sinks or swims early next year.