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

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. Details revealed at RGG SUMMIT 2024 paint a picture of a bolder, more expansive game.

Majima's Hawaiian Hijinks Set Sail in 2025

A Grander Scale for Pirate Yakuza

RGG Studio's president, Masayoshi Yokoyama, confirmed that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii's story and world will be approximately 1.3 to 1.5 times larger than Like a Dragon Gaiden. This isn't a mere expansion; it's a substantial leap in scale. Yokoyama hinted at the game's vastness, mentioning Honolulu City (seen in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth) and other locations like Madlantis, contributing to a significantly larger game volume.

The game's breadth extends beyond its size. Expect a packed experience filled with signature brawling combat, quirky side activities, and mini-games. Yokoyama suggested the traditional "Gaiden" label as a spin-off is evolving, hinting that this title will be a fully-fledged experience comparable to mainline entries.

The Hawaiian setting provides a distinct change of pace. Goro Majima, voiced again by Hidenari Ugaki, takes center stage in this unexpected pirate adventure. While the specifics of Majima's transformation remain shrouded in mystery, Ugaki expressed excitement while remaining tight-lipped about the details.

Ugaki commented, "The game information is finally out, but there's so much more to share. I'm usually quite talkative, but I've been sworn to secrecy, so I'm not entirely satisfied yet."

Adding to the intrigue, voice actor First Summer Uika (Noah Ritchie) teased a live-action scene featuring Ryuji Akiyama (Masaru Fujita). Akiyama playfully hinted at a memorable recording experience involving an aquarium and "many beautiful women," suggesting a scene that might unexpectedly evoke feelings of popularity. These "beautiful women" are likely the "Minato Ward girls," who will appear in both live-action and CG form. Their casting process earlier this year saw many enthusiastic applicants.

For more on the auditions, please refer to our related article.