Tag: Yakuza

The creator of Yakuza warns that there are too many games and maybe we should relax a little

¿Cuántos juegos tienes pendientes en Steam? ¿Cómo está la lista que comenzaste hace diez años con todo para probar “cuando tengas un poco de tiempo”? ¿También sientes ese peso sobre tus hombros cuando alguien te dice que un título dura más de cien horas? Felicidades: has envejecido… Y la industria de los videojuegos no ha dejado de girar la rueda. Uno tras otro tras otro tras otro. Franquicias, indies, retro, no importa. Algo tiene que ceder. ¿Podemos tomarnos un descanso de cinco años, por favor? No lo digo solo yo, ojo: incluso el propio Toshihiro Nagoshi, creador […]

How many games do you have pending on Steam? How is the list you started ten years ago with everything to try “when you have a little time”? Do you also feel that heaviness on your shoulders when someone tells you a title lasts more than a hundred hours? Congratulations: you’ve grown older… And the video game industry hasn’t stopped spinning the wheel. One after another after another after another. Franchises, indies, retro, it doesn’t matter. It has to burst somewhere.

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Can we stop for five years, please?

It’s not just me saying it, mind you: even Toshihiro Nagoshi himself, creator of the Yakuza saga (now Like A Dragon), believes there are too many games and no need to make them so big or so long. “Although there aren’t as many completely original games now, if you include those made outside of Japan, there are so many titles that it’s impossible to play them all”. Welcome to my world, Toshihiro.

“I think the number of games can be a bit excessive. I feel that the era of games where their length was the reason you were encouraged to buy them is coming to an end“. Well, it depends. Tell that to Rockstar with GTA 6 or the countless infinite online games that exist. Personally? Indeed, with a game of ten to twelve hours, I’m satisfied. Who needs to play 350 hours to find all the collectibles?

Nagoshi left the Like A Dragon franchise three years ago to start his own studio, and he is currently developing a game for which he still has to decide its scope: “Of course we have a map, but the current version is too large. This time, while studying existing games, we started by making a fairly large map with roads and highways. Now we are gradually reducing it and exploring what is best for it”. After creating Yakuza, frankly, he has carte blanche to do (and say) whatever he wants.

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Sega confirms what we already suspected: Persona is one of its best-selling franchises worldwide

We all know that the Persona series is making a big impact. It’s no longer what it used to be. If it was once a niche series that only a few of us played, now it’s a giant that rubs shoulders with the big JRPGs. Even with the big names in video games. But it’s one thing to know it, because you can tell by how it’s talked about and treated in the media, and another to have confirmation with data, figures, and executives doing somersaults every time they remember it’s a franchise that belongs to their company. Which is exactly what has happened in […]

We all know that the Persona saga is making a big impact. It is no longer what it used to be. If before it was a niche saga that only a few of us played, now it is a behemoth that rubs shoulders with the great JRPGs. Even with the big names in video games. But one thing is to know it, because it is noticeable in how it is talked about and how it is treated in the media, and another is to have confirmation with data, figures, and executives doing somersaults every time they remember that it is a franchise that belongs to their company. Which is exactly what has happened in this year’s financial reports from Sega.

From Sega they have confirmed to their shareholders that the Persona series has sold 23.5 million copies of its games worldwide so far. An impressive figure for a JRPG, especially considering that its popularity didn’t start until the 3rd installment and didn’t explode until the 5th. This has been confirmed by Sega itself, stating that the most popular installment of the franchise is Persona 5, being the best-selling title of the series by far at the moment. Making it one of the IPs that generate profits for Sega today.

Praising the uniqueness of its characters and setting, the overflowing style, and how easy it is to relate to its stories, they also wanted to highlight how its transmedia approach has helped. Since its emphasis on concerts, animes, and mangas of the franchise has helped attract fans who have not played the games previously.

Similarly, other franchises are proving to be profitable for Sega. Among them are Yakuza, Sonic, Hokuto no Ken, and Phantasy Star Online: New Genesis, emphasizing that they have a diverse catalog that currently allows them to work on multiple projects while ensuring economic viability and stability. With recognized IPs that are popular among the general public, among which Persona seems to be one of their main flagships currently.

That is why, in the future, we can expect to see more of all these franchises. Although they have not specified what plans they have for any of them, and it is still too early for them to talk about how they perceive the reception of their recent Metaphor Re-Fantazio, it seems that Sega is experiencing a new golden age. Something that, with Persona 6 on the horizon to be announced and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii announced for February 21, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and PC, does not seem likely to change in the near future.

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Like a Dragon: Yakuza receives a new trailer and we can finally see all its characters

A few years ago, it was unthinkable to conceive the dimensions that the Yakuza saga has acquired. Although it has always been popular among certain segments of the audience, particularly in Asia, it had never managed to break out beyond a certain niche sector. But its latest installments, with their shift towards RPG, an evident entry point to the franchise, and excellent remakes of the early installments, have brought a wave of new fans. This has even made a television series possible. Because we have received a new trailer for Like A Dragon: Yakuza and, unlike all the previous ones, in this […]

A few years ago, it was unthinkable to conceive the dimensions that the Yakuza saga has acquired. While it has always been popular among certain sectors of the public, particularly in Asia, it has never managed to break out beyond a certain niche sector. But its latest installments, with their shift towards RPG, an evident gateway to the franchise, and excellent remakes of the early installments, have brought a wave of new fans. This has even made a television series possible.

We have received a new trailer for Like a Dragon: Yakuza, and, unlike all the previous ones, this one finally has all the details we might need. Seeing all the characters, the atmosphere, and the tone they seek for the series becomes evident. Perhaps less of its humorous side, but maintaining its dramatic roots, sarcastic tone, and emphasis on using violence and heightened emotions to parodic exaggeration.

In turn, we have confirmed that the series will occur simultaneously in two timelines. One part will take place in 1995, where the protagonist, Kiryu, along with his friends, Nishiki, Yumi, and Miho, end up getting involved in the yakuza world after assaulting a gallery controlled by the Domija family. The other part will take place in 2005, with Kiryu getting out of prison and discovering that his friends are in danger, deciding to return to Kamurocho to defend them and uncover the existing tensions between the Tojo Clan, to which the Domija family belongs, and the Omi Alliance.

Not strictly following the story of any particular game, it seems to mix elements from several of the early games, in addition to adding some aspects of its own creation. It is an excellent way to approach such an extensive and storied franchise, where simply retelling the story once more might have left the most die-hard fans unsatisfied, even if it had been enough to reach the general audience.

Like a Dragon: Yakuza will be released on October 24 on Amazon Prime Video. At the same time, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the studio in charge of the franchise, recently announced an action-adventure spinoff called Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii, which will follow an amnesiac Majima in Hawaii trying to discover how he ended up in that situation. It will be released on February 28 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and PC.

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The new Like a Dragon was leaked months ago, but it’s so ridiculous that no one believed it was true

Imagine that you are browsing the Internet and an anonymous user on 4Chan, of all possible websites, says that they already know what the new Like A Dragon will be about, in which the protagonist would be Goro Majima, who has lost his memory and ends up facing pirates, with his yakuza tattoos being the key to remembering. Moreover, the apparent leak reports that Majima will become a pirate captain and will be able to form his own crew. It’s so ridiculous that you wouldn’t pay any attention to it, right? And yet… Like a wave The post on 4Chan was uploaded in […]

Imagine you are browsing the Internet and an anonymous user on 4Chan, of all possible websites, claims to know what the new Like A Dragon will be about, in which the protagonist would be Goro Majima, who has lost his memory and ends up facing off against pirates, with his yakuza tattoos being the key to remembering. Moreover, the apparent leak informs that Majima will become a pirate captain and will be able to assemble his own crew. It’s so ridiculous that you wouldn’t pay any attention to it, right? And yet…

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Like a Wave

The post on 4Chan was uploaded in May, and due to the inability to verify the information, it simply kept going down until it became fodder for the eternal void of the Internet. The thing is, everyone suddenly remembered it when Ryu Ga Gotoka Studios announced Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, a title so ridiculous that if we didn’t know it was one hundred percent official, we would also consider it to be false.

There are people who make a living by leaking information on their Patreon, and even they usually get it right less than half the time. How can you believe an anonymous user on 4Chan? Normally, it’s the place where anyone can create their own story or alternative video game, hoping someone will believe it and providing headlines to the most sensationalist and click-hungry press.

The news is not that someone guessed Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii: it’s that they did it in the most unexpected place of all. On the other hand, the public’s reaction has been much more enthusiastic than expected, partly because at this point we love that in Like a Dragon they do exactly what they want. Even if it means breaking our expectations into twenty pieces. They have permission.

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The Next Yakuza Could be Called Yakuza Wars

SEGA has registered the Yakuza Wars brand recently and, as if we don’t already know what it’s all about, everything points towards the new title Like A Dragon.

Yakuza fans have been eating well for a few years now. With several annual releases, Ryu ga Gotoku, the studio behind this legendary franchise, has shown how care and love for their characters can overcome anything. That and making countless remasters, spinoffs, and knowing when to make a fortunate twist to the franchise’s formula. Because no one expected the transition from action game to JRPG to work so well. Nor did anyone expect it to have its own series with Amazon.

Now it seems that SEGA is working on something new. Because on July 26th, as it has been leaked, they registered a new trademark. Yakuza Wars. Made public today, it has no associated information. That doesn’t mean that, given its name, it’s not difficult to imagine that this could well be a Like A Dragon: Yakuza Wars.

In fact, the existence of a new Yakuza is something we were already aware of. On April 1st, both SEGA and Ryu ga Gotoku Studio were holding auditions for the next Like A Dragon title. Shortly after, they introduced the girls who would play the hostess role in the game. This means that the game is not only in development, but since they are already casting, it must be in a very advanced stage. Something that gives us hope of seeing it early.

How soon? We don’t know. What we do know is that it’s not about Yakuza Kiwami 3. Because even though they want to do it at some point in the future, according to Masayoshi Yokoyama, franchise director, they are not working on it yet. This doesn’t mean that they won’t eventually have the idea of tackling that project, given the success of the first two Kiwami games. Excellent remakes of the franchise’s original two games.

That’s why, although we still don’t know more details, everything seems to indicate that very soon we will know more about a new Yakuza. Whether it will be a JRPG or an action game, a spinoff or a main series game, or when it will be released, everything is up in the air. But in any case, even considering that Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth was released this year, we won’t have to worry about not being able to play another Yakuza game next year.

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Yakuza is a successful franchise, but Sega didn’t want to make even the first one

Yakuza is a massively successful series, but Sega didn’t have much faith that it could be a success, even though it’s now evident that it would be.

It’s easy to see success once it has happened. When it’s already clear what was best, everyone knows what the right decision was. That’s why making decisions is so complex, but also why it’s important to stand up for what you believe is right. Knowing what will work or not is complex, and the struggle between egos and beliefs is important. Something that a great video game author, Toshihiro Nagoshi, has shown us this week.

In an interview with Weekly Ochiai, Toshihiro Nagoshi’s former creative chief has explained the situation he encountered when making the first game in the Yakuza franchise. Because even though it is now a successful series worldwide, there was a time when SEGA didn’t see it that way.

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The reason Nagoshi argues is that, at the beginning of the 2000s, Sega was looking to make games that appealed to the masses. Games that could sell worldwide, to everyone. The problem is that, as Nagoshi rightly says, the games proposed at that time were systematically watered down by how the producers approached the development according to what the executives dictated. Making many of those games lack any interest upon release.

That’s why, when they proposed Yakuza, they completely rejected the proposal. The reason is that, being a game focused on the yakuza, they didn’t see what could be the interest for the international audience. Also, since it wouldn’t be a game that children could play, and it wouldn’t be targeted at women either, Sega had no interest in making it.

Finally, after presenting the proposal three times, Sega approved Nagoshi’s project. Something that also managed to demonstrate that the ideas they had at Sega were completely wrong. It is a franchise whose latest installment, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, has sold one million copies in its first week. Being a critical and public success that spans 20 years and 23 installments, they also showed that they were wrong at Sega: the Yakuza audience in Japan has historically been mainly female and has had a great impact in the West.

Nagoshi left Sega last October 2021 to create his own company, Nagoshi Studio, with funding from NetEase. Although they are still working on their first video game, it is quite evident that, given the success of Yakuza and the interesting nature of their other games, such as the underrated Binary Domain, Nagoshi Studio will offer us a game that will make executives nervous.

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That time when Sega decided to reject ‘Yakuza’ convinced that it wouldn’t sell

Nineteen years have passed, with 9 main games and a good handful of spinoffs and variants. Together, they have sold over 21 million units. However, as we have now learned, initially they were on the verge of canceling it before it even had a chance.

On December 8, 2005, a game by Sega was released in Japan, destined for greatness. However, at that time, they had no idea of what was about to be unleashed: 19 years have passed, 9 main games, and a good number of spinoffs and variations. And among all of them, they have sold over 21 million units. However, as we now know, initially, they were on the verge of canceling it before even having a chance.

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Brawling in Dotonbori

Apparently, Sega didn’t have confidence in ‘Yakuza’ (or, as it’s called now, ‘Like a dragon’). The problem? Of course, the adult theme, which prevented children from playing it and therefore was immediately rejected. It’s important to note that at that time Japanese games had stopped dominating the world and the studio wanted titles that would appeal to the widest possible audience, that could be sold at any time and to anyone.

And that wasn’t ‘Yakuza‘. Think about it for a moment: it is a game that is inherently Japanese and not intended at all for audiences from other countries, it was not intended for women or children, and it certainly didn’t come cheap: approving it was commercial suicide. In the end, it was a relative hit in Japan and sold over a million copies on PS2. Now it’s its own empire.

However, Toshihiro Nagoshi needed to present the game three times to Sega to obtain their approval, and he was forced to emphasize that this is not a story of violence between yakuza, but rather that of a poor man trying to live day by day. A piece of advice: if you ever go to Dotonbori, try at least not to hit anyone. It’s not as easy as you think after a few hours of playing.

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The best HBO series of 2022 confirms second season

The best HBO series of 2022 confirms a second season, giving us a new opportunity to discover this great yakuza series.

There was a time when it seemed like only HBO made prestigious series. That time has passed. Today, more or less everyone has quality series, treating television as more than just entertainment. It’s not a rare bird. But that doesn’t mean HBO is no longer the benchmark for many people. And with good reason. For example, the first season of Tokyo Vice.

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That’s why the premiere of the trailer for the second season of Tokyo Vice is great news. It makes us eager to continue watching Adelstein’s story unfold as he tries to unravel the relationships of the underworld. Hopefully, without getting killed along the way.

If you haven’t seen Tokyo Vice, don’t worry. It’s a series that has gone under the radar for many people, despite being a true gem. Released in April 2022 on HBO Max, it’s a series that follows a reporter named Jake Adelstein, who works for the Yomiuri Shimbun, one of Japan’s largest newspapers, covering crime cases, especially those related to the yakuza. When his work becomes too intertwined with the activities of Tadamasa Goto, a Yakuza boss, Adelstein will start digging deeper and deeper to try to get out of the hole he’s gotten himself into.

Probably the most interesting thing about the series, in addition to its spectacular cinematography that presents us with a beautiful image of Tokyo, is that all of this is based on real events. Jake Adelstein is a real reporter who wrote a book about his experience as a journalist at the Yomiuri Shimbun covering the yakuza. That book is called Tokyo Vice and this series adapts the book. Something that makes certain moments of the story even more impactful, as it makes us aware that they actually happened.

If you are not familiar with the series and it has caught your attention, you still have time to catch up. The first season consists of 10 episodes, directed by Michael Mann, and the second season will premiere on February 8th. More than enough time to catch up and enjoy this fabulous story of journalism and yakuza worthy of the best HBO.

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SEGA reveals all the details about the new installment of Yakuza

SEGA reveals all the details about the new Yakuza installment, emphasizing all the changes in combat to make it more dynamic

Barely has the latest Yakuza installment come out, and we’re already anticipating the next one. That’s the pace Sega has decided to maintain with their flagship franchise. And it’s alright. While their games are indeed vast and full of possibilities, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name was an excellent game, much more contained than usual. It served as an excellent prologue for the next numbered installment in the franchise. Even though, as fans already know, in the West, we won’t be able to find the 8 unless we pay very close attention to the cover.

Precisely because we’re close to the launch, Sega has revealed a lot of new information about everything that’s coming in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Especially, details related to the combat system.

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Perhaps the most striking aspect is that, although the game remains an RPG, our characters can now move during their turn. By doing this, we can team up with other characters to perform combos or approach objects in the environment to use them as weapons. Additionally, thanks to this feature, some attacks have an area of effect that we can use to our advantage to attack multiple enemies at once, although our enemies can also exploit it against us. This aspect also applies to environmental elements and other enemies.

Another element they’ve added, addressing a classic issue in RPGs, is the ability to skip battles against weaker enemies. At the cost of earning less experience, we can automatically defeat groups of enemies much weaker than us and continue our game as if nothing happened.

In addition to that, they’ve also showcased a new glimpse of the game’s new classes. With each character being able to have an exclusive class, and with six new classes added to the game, three of which are locked initially, it seems there will be even more possibilities to customize our playstyle than in the first game. This is something to appreciate, especially since the studio has confirmed that this will be the longest game in the franchise to date.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will be released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and PC on January 26, 2024. And if you can’t wait until then, the spinoff Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which was recently promoted with a wrestling combat theme, is already available for purchase.

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SEGA collaborates with AEW to promote Like A Dragon Gaiden in a very unique way

SEGA has announced that it is going to collaborate with AEW to promote Like A Dragon Gaiden in a way that very few people have seen coming.

Marketing is challenging. It requires knowing how to find the right timing, reach the target audience, and build a consistent presence without becoming overwhelming. We don’t want the target audience to be unaware that the game has been released, but we also don’t want the audience that won’t definitely buy it to get burnt out by exposure. That’s why there are always very original methods to reach the audience, sometimes ones that the target audience can’t even imagine. This is the latest idea from Sega to promote Yakuza.

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Sega has announced a collaboration with AEW, the wrestling federation. This means that next Wednesday, November 15th, there will be a street fight on AEW Dynamite that they’ve dubbed the “Like a Dragon Street Fight.” It’s a no-disqualification match where all kinds of objects can be used in and around the ring, in honor of the new spin-off from the Yakuza series, the masterful Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

In this match, two teams will participate, facing off to overcome each other in a long-standing feud that has been going on for several months. On one side, there will be Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, and Paul Wight, while on the other side will be Don Callis’s family, consisting of Konosuke Takeshita and three other members yet to be announced.

While there is still no footage of the match for obvious reasons, there is a teaser trailer for the event that blends both game footage and elements from the feud between these AEW groups. Although we don’t know the specifics of the match, based on their past actions, at the very least, the ring will feature game advertising, and the game’s imagery will be present on all program graphics. Additionally, Kenny Omega is known for his affinity for costumes, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him enter dressed as a Yakuza character.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X and PC.

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