The Like a Dragon series– formerly Yakuza– is set to make a grand return in the future with a new mainline entry, one that sees lovable knucklehead Ichiban Kasuga partner with the famous Dragon of Dojima for a brand-new adventure. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the name of the video game and a direct follow-up to Yakuza: Like a Dragon. We understand, this calling convention is beginning to get weird.
This brand-new chapter comes hot on the heels of the Like a Dragon: Ishin remaster and the spin-off Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name that fills in a couple of spaces in the LAD timeline. While Sega and developer Ryu Ga Gotoku (RGG) have actually been keeping most of the details on the 8th mainline entry under wraps, some info has been exposed over the last number of months because the game was officially revealed. Here’s a better look at whatever that we know so far about Infinite Wealth, from its returning cast to its tease of a new tropical place.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth platforms and release date
RGG is intending to release Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth in “early 2024” for PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, and PS4.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth gameplay
We’ve only seen cinematic video of Infinite Wealth so far, but the expectation here is that it’ll continue to utilize the turn-based RPG gameplay that was introduced in the last video game. This was a massive departure from previous Yakuza video games that were 3D beat-em-ups, as Like a Dragon switched real-time action for a system that was greatly inspired by timeless RPGs like Dragon Quest.
In between street brawls, you can most likely anticipate the hallmark minigames of the Yakuza series to return, an episodic structure to its primary project, and numerous other activities that play out in an open-world environment.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth place
Yakuza games have primarily been set in Yokohama and Tokyo, however the recent Xbox Showcase trailer teased a change of landscapes. Set on what appears to be a Miami beach in the US, Ichiban awakens buck-naked and wanders around the location while English-speaking characters look at him. While Yakuza games in the past have actually had a couple of United States and English characters pop up in Japan, this marks the first time that the series has ventured beyond the Japanese border.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth characters
You can’t have a Yakuza/Like a Dragon video game without the Dragon of Dojima, and after an unforgettable cameo in the previous game, Kazuma Kiryu is sharing the spotlight with Ichiban in this trip. RGG is keeping the reasons behind Kiryu’s return a trick, however executive manufacturer Masayoshi Yokoyama did tease throughout the video game’s cinematic reveal in 2022 that he’ll have to handle “all the weight of the past on his back, and the male with all the weight of the future on his back”.
Other returning characters consist of former nurse Yu Nanba and retired law enforcement officers Koichi Adachi, who’ll be back to provide Ichiban some muscle when he discovers himself in trouble. It’s not understood yet if other characters like Goro Majima, Saeko Mukoda, or Joon-gi Han will be back, however with the Yakuza series frequently pulling in characters from previous video games while introducing brand-new allies and enemies, there’s a good chance that a couple of familiar faces will appear.
