At the end of July, SEGA registered the intellectual property Yakuza Wars. This became somewhat known, though the fact that the Japanese company hasn’t made any announcements about the product didn’t help the community to learn much about this intriguing title. We had previously heard that the Ryu Ga Gotoku studio was working on a new Like a Dragon game that wouldn’t be Yakuza Kiwami 3 (a remake of the third installment). However, Yakuza Wars will be far from the next canonical Like a Dragon title; instead, it will be a mobile game published by the Asian studio BBGame, as revealed by X user @Koenelbroet.
BBGame opened the Chinese Facebook page for Yakuza Wars before the official announcement of the game. In fact, this happened almost two weeks ago when the cover photo of the page was published (You can see it up there, in the header of this article), thereby making the game’s art public. There, we can see Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, and other iconic characters from the series. Additionally, promotional videos for the game have been shared on social media, but no gameplay has been shown yet, so we’ll obviously have to wait.
According to VGC’s translation, the page reads: “Sega’s first officially authorized mobile game, Dragon Among Men, is a new classic gangster-themed masterpiece for mobile phones, creating innovative strategic war gameplay.” Then, the description continues, “Here, you can fight side by side with classic characters such as Kiryu Kazuma, Kasuga Ichiban, and Majima Goro, and write your own legendary story in the underworld world.”
Does this mean the next Like a Dragon game is for mobile? It doesn’t seem like it, as this title is developed by BBGame, the company behind New Romance of the Three Kingdoms together with Koei Tecmo. It’s likely that Yakuza Wars will be officially announced on September 20 during the RGG Summit 2024, the digital event where Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio presents its upcoming projects, but they might also unveil a new title that promises to surprise after the acclaimed Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, a JRPG that is among the contenders for GOTY 2024.
What Are the Like a Dragon Games About?
The Like a Dragon series (formerly known as Yakuza) is a role-playing and action game franchise that began in 2005 and continues to this day, with several titles released between 2005 and 2024. Throughout the series, more than a dozen main titles have been released, along with several spin-offs and remakes. The main plot revolves around characters connected to the Japanese Yakuza, with a strong focus on moral dilemmas, family loyalties, and the internal conflicts of its protagonists.
The story mainly follows Kazuma Kiryu, the central character of the first six games. Kiryu is a high-ranking member of the Yakuza who constantly tries to leave the world of crime but is always pulled back due to his sense of loyalty and his desire to protect those he loves. Each game involves complex plots with betrayals, conspiracies within the Japanese mafia, and themes of redemption. The series has explored Kiryu’s relationships with his mentor, friends, and father figures as he navigates the violent underworld without losing his humanity.
Starting with Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020), the series takes a significant turn by introducing a new protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking member of the Arakawa family. Kasuga has a more charismatic and optimistic personality compared to Kiryu, and his story focuses on uncovering the truth about his betrayal and the purpose behind his 18-year imprisonment. The game also introduces a radical shift in the combat system, moving from real-time action to turn-based combat, while still maintaining the same dramatic and emotional essence that defines the series.
Overall, Like a Dragon is a series known for its emotionally charged stories, deep characters, and intricate plots that reflect themes of loyalty, power, and redemption, all set against the backdrop of the Japanese criminal underworld. Each game presents new challenges for its protagonists as they confront their inner demons and face powerful criminal organizations.
The Like a Dragon series is one of those comparable, at least in its trajectory, to GTA, to name one, with many years of life and iconic games among its many installments. Without a doubt, its fan community will welcome this new title with joy, even though it’s for mobile, and even if it’s not that other canonical title they might be expecting in the future. Whatever the case, we’ll surely have more information about this franchise soon. So, for now, how about you check out the comments and leave us your opinion on this? Or your best memories of the saga’s games, because if you’ve made it this far, you surely have some! You know, gamer, we’ll be reading! 😉
