Like A Dragon Fans Are Mourning The Loss Of The Iconic Yakuza Font

27.08.2023 - 14:35 / thegamer.com / Ryu Ga / Kazuma Kiryu / Like A

Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is scheduled to release later this year, bringing series legend Kazuma Kiryu back into the fold after a brief absence, albeit under a different name. Kiryu coming back will no doubt bring joy to many fans, but while one series icon has made his triumphant return, another has been unceremoniously replaced - the iconic Yakuza font that has been a staple of the franchise since its conception.

We've seen plenty of footage of Kiryu involved in large scale brawls in Like A Dragon Gaiden over the past few months, but a new preview released by IGN has given us our first look at Kiryu actually starting a fight. Fans of the series will be aware that before the main character of the game gets into fights, a word flashes up on the screen describing the attackers in that dramatic Edo SZ font that we all know and love.

Related: Why Are We So Obsessed With Kazuma Kiryu's Virginity?

Like A Dragon Gaiden doesn't break from that tradition, but fans have noticed that the iconic font that the series has used throughout its entire history has been replaced with a much more generic one. It was such a beloved font that it actually managed to break into meme culture, and you'll find it used in many places that have nothing to do with the series in the slightest. The Yakuza series popularized it, and now it's been replaced it with something with a little less impact.

Quite why developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios has done away with something so intrinsically tied to the series in such a manner is unknown, but it could be down to the more serious tone that Like A Dragon Gaiden is going for. It might just be a font to some people, but the decision to replace it has to be deliberate considering how iconic it was, and its removal could tie into Kiryu's new persona that he takes on during the game. It just looks wrong if you've played more than a few games in the series.

Of course, we haven't seen any gameplay footage of Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth just yet, so there's always the chance that this could be a one off change for Gaiden. That's what the majority of fans are hoping anyway, who are expressing their sadness on the Yakuza subreddit in the form of various memes. For now, we pour one out to Edo SZ and keep our fingers crossed it comes back to the series in which it belongs.

Next: Alan Wake 2 Is Bringing Back The Weirdest Parts of Quantum Break