Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will be much less tied to past events in the series than other titles, making it welcoming for newcomers 

During last week’s RGG Summit 2024, Sega’s RGG Studio announced Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. The upcoming Gaiden title will cast the spotlight on the beloved Goro Majima – who will appear as a solo protagonist for the first time in the series.  

But there’s a catch – the story starts with Majima losing all of his memories and having no idea who he is. According to the Like a Dragon series’ executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama, this scenario has unintentionally made the game more approachable for players who are less knowledgeable about the series. Speaking to Famitsu, Yokoyama comments, “Majima fills in the holes in his memory little by little as he goes about doing various things. So, in a sense, [Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii] is the game least shackled to past events in the Like a Dragon series.” 

However, the developer also stresses that the story was not intentionally designed this way to attract new players. Rather, the newbie accessibility was just a by-product of the developers’ efforts to create an entertaining story. One of the themes of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is “seeing the real Majima” –  as in, the Majima who isn’t associated with being a “legendary gangster,” Yokoyama says.  

With the story being set outside Japan, people don’t know anything about him, and even Majima himself doesn’t remember his past. Therefore, the fun of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will revolve around Majima gradually beginning to recall his real self though interactions with others, having revelations like, “Seems like I’m a bad guy” and “It looks like I’m better at fighting than the average person.” 

According to RGG Studio’s chief, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii should be a refreshing experience for both long-time Yakuza fans and players who recently joined with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. For those concerned about the game’s goofy tone, Yokoyama assures that “the main story is a proper drama, so don’t worry about it.” 

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is scheduled to release on February 28, 2025 for the PC (Steam), PS4/PS4 and Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S