Massive 'Like a Dragon' Expansion Unveils Hawaiian Yakuza Adventure

Prepare for a swashbuckling adventure! The upcoming Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii promises a significantly larger and more ambitious experience than its predecessor, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. RGG Studio's announcements at RGG SUMMIT 2024 revealed exciting details.

Majima's Hawaiian Hijinks Set Sail in 2025

A Grander Scale for Pirate Yakuza

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is shaping up to be a much more expansive game. RGG Studio president Masayoshi Yokoyama confirmed that the game's world and story will be approximately 1.3 to 1.5 times larger than Like a Dragon Gaiden. This isn't just a slight expansion; it's a substantial increase in scale.

Yokoyama hinted at the game's massive scope in an interview with Famitsu: "We don’t even know the exact area of the city itself," he teased, mentioning locations like Honolulu (featured in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth) and Madlantis, suggesting a significantly larger play area than Like a Dragon Gaiden.

The game's content is equally expansive. Expect the series' signature brawling combat, alongside a wealth of quirky side activities and mini-games. Yokoyama indicated that the traditional "Gaiden" label as a spin-off or side story is evolving, suggesting this title will be a substantial, mainline-level experience.

The Hawaiian setting offers a refreshing change of pace. The charismatic Goro Majima, voiced again by Hidenari Ugaki, takes center stage in this unexpected pirate adventure. While the details of Majima's transformation remain shrouded in mystery, Ugaki expressed his excitement, though he's been sworn to secrecy.

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

Further intrigue comes from voice actor First Summer Uika (Noah Ritchie), who teased a live-action scene featuring Ryuji Akiyama (Masaru Fujita). Akiyama added cryptic comments about an aquarium scene and the presence of "many beautiful women" during recording, hinting at a potentially memorable and unexpected sequence.

These "beautiful women" are likely the "Minato Ward girls," who will appear both in live-action and CG form. Ryosuke Horii shared that the auditions for these roles were successful, attracting applicants passionate about the series.

For more on the auditions, please see our related article.