SEGA and RGG Studio’s brand new action-adventure game STRANGER THAN HEAVEN is set to launch on January 15, 2027. Following the story of Makoto Daito and Yu Shinjo, two Japanese-American outcasts, as they struggle to survive in the rapidly changing environment of 20th century Japan, the title positions itself as a prequel to the Like a Dragon series. The game will depict a massive story spanning over 5 decades of Daito’s life, depicting a “convincing” but ultimately fictional recreation of Taisho and Showa-era Japan.
Just like the Like a Dragon series, Stranger Than Heaven features a rather lavish cast, including popular musicians like Ado and Snoop Dogg. And in a somewhat divisive move during this year’s Summer Game Fest, RGG Studio revealed that the late rapper Tupac Shakur would also be joining the cast as a key character in the game.
Recently, AUTOMATON had the opportunity to attend a joint media interview with RGG Studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama, and learn more about the casting process for the game, as well as the details behind Snoop Dogg and Tupac’s appearances.
Yokoyama explained that, back when he was working on Yakuza 0, he learned that the only reason for selecting cast members should be “whether they suit the character you want to portray.” For example, the three lieutenants of the Dojima family are depicted by Hitoshi Ozawa, Riki Takeuchi and Hideo Nakano, but Yokoyama considers the reason behind their characters gaining worldwide popularity was not because the three actors are particularly famous globally.
“When you see the three lieutenants appear in Yakuza 0, you don’t really recognize them as famous Japanese celebrities,” Yokoyama said. “When Daisaku Kuze (played by Hitoshi Ozawa) appears on screen, you’re just going to think – It’s Daisaku Kuze. Also, if I happen come up with a character I’d like a specific person to play, I sometimes write the script as if it were addressed directly to that person.”
On the other hand, Yokoyama argues that he doesn’t want celebrity appearances themselves to be the focal point of RGG Studio’s works.
“To be completely honest, my intention as a game creator isn’t to make our casting choices take the spotlight and overshadow everything else. I want people to focus on the gameplay and the narrative experience itself. To the audience, it may seem like we’re only doing it for attention, and I may end up being perceived as someone who’s just getting a kick out of being surrounded by celebrities. But that is absolutely not my intention. We continue to create games drawing on the experience we gained from Yakuza 0 – that actors’ performances can elevate the entire work.”
Talking about the casting choices for Stranger Than Heaven, Yokoyama said that Yu Shirota was a perfect fit for the estranged, ambiguous character of Makoto Daito. However, given the protagonist’s unique circumstances as an outcast, the team needed to add characters like Orpheus and Yu Shinjo, who’ve lived a similar life and have experienced similar struggles as Daito.
The role of Yu Shinjo was offered to Dean Fujioka, who, like Shirota, also has a strong musical background. As Yokoyama explains, “singing” is a crucial theme of Stranger Than Heaven, and the casting choices reflect this.
When it comes to the role of Orpheus, Yokoyama offered it to Snoop Dogg, whom he had met by chance while working on another project. Coincidentally, this is what led to the eventual addition of late rapper Tupac Shakur into the game.
“Initially, we hadn’t considered having Tupac appear in the game. It was in the latter half of development, after I’d become quite close with Snoop Dogg, that we decided to include him. Developing a character that’s super important to the story, we thought that Tupac might be a good fit for the role, so I consulted with Snoop Dog about it. He later introduced us to Tupac’s family and other acquaintances, and we created his character under their supervision,” Yokoyama explained.
STRANGER THAN HEAVEN is set to release on January 15, 2027 for PC (Steam), Xbox Series X❘S and PlayStation 5. The title will also be coming to Xbox Game Pass.
