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 truly 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 simple expansion; it's a massive leap in scale. Yokoyama hinted at the sheer size, stating (via Famitsu and machine translation), "We don’t even know the exact area of the city itself... there’s Honolulu City, and various stages, such as Madlantis, so I think the game volume is much larger than [Like a Dragon Gaiden]."
The game's scope extends beyond its size. Expect a wealth of content, including the series' signature brawling combat, a plethora of quirky side activities, and engaging mini-games. Yokoyama suggested the traditional "Gaiden" label as a smaller side story is evolving, stating it's "gradually disappearing from us," implying this title will rival mainline entries in scope and depth.
The setting itself—the Hawaiian islands—promises a significant departure from previous installments. 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. He commented, "The information about the game has finally been announced, but there are many other elements and there is still a lot of information I want to tell you... I’ve been told not to say anything, so I’m not completely satisfied yet."
Adding to the intrigue, voice actor First Summer Uika (Noah Ritchie) teased a live-action scene featuring Ryuji Akiyama (Masaru Fujita). Akiyama further hinted at the unexpected, describing a memorable recording session with "an aquarium in front of me with a clownfish... Also, there were really a lot of beautiful women at the recording… It’s not a love reality show, but with a scene like that, there’s an excitement that makes you mistakenly think you’re popular." This might refer to the "Minato Ward girls," who will appear in both live-action and CG form, following auditions held earlier this year. Ryosuke Horii noted the enthusiasm of the audition participants, many of whom "had a love for the series and a passion to work with us."
