Prepare for a swashbuckling adventure unlike any other! 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. Discover the details revealed at RGG SUMMIT 2024.

Majima's Pirate Adventure Sets Sail in 2025

A Grander Scale for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

RGG Studio's Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is shaping up to be a massive undertaking. During RGG SUMMIT 2024, studio president Masayoshi Yokoyama announced 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 minor expansion; it's a complete shift in scale.

Yokoyama hinted at the game's expansive nature in an interview with Famitsu, stating (via machine translation), "We don’t even know the exact area of the city itself...Of course there’s Honolulu City, which appeared in [Infinite Wealth], and there are various stages, such as Madlantis, so I think the game volume is much larger than [Like a Dragon Gaiden]."

The game's content is equally impressive. Expect the signature brawling combat, alongside a wealth of quirky side activities and mini-games. Yokoyama indicated that the traditional "Gaiden" label, implying a smaller side story, is becoming obsolete, suggesting this installment will be a substantial experience comparable to mainline entries.

Set in Hawaii, the game features the return of the charismatic Goro Majima, voiced by Hidenari Ugaki. The story finds Majima unexpectedly becoming a pirate. While the specifics remain under wraps, Ugaki expressed his excitement while remaining tight-lipped about the plot.

"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," Ugaki commented. "I have a tendency to talk a lot about various things, but 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 himself offered a cryptic hint: "there was one interesting recording scene, and when I went to the toilet to relieve myself, there was an aquarium in front of me with a clownfish in it… 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."

These "beautiful women" may be the "Minato Ward girls," who will appear in both live-action and CG form. Ryosuke Horii commented on the auditions held earlier this year, noting the enthusiasm of the participants.

To delve deeper into the audition process, explore the linked article below!