Ryu ga Gotoku Studio News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

The Like a Dragon series (formerly known as Yakuza) has been built on developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’ internal engines for as long as anyone can remember, with the Dragon Engine having served as its primary development toolset since being introduced in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. Last year’s Like a Dragon: Ishin! broke series convention by being built on Unreal Engine 4, but it doesn’t look like that’s indicative of the series’ future in any meaningful way.

The most recent games from the long-running Like a Dragon franchise, including Infinite Wealth, are discounted on Steam for a week. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was released back in January to critical acclaim. Many fans praise it as one of the franchise's best entries, with its incredible writing and characters, new setting of Hawaii, and updated turn-based combat system. It's also the largest game in the franchise by far, as Infinite Wealth is jam-packed with tons of side activities across multiple different locations.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the team behind the longstanding Like a Dragon franchise, has expressed interest in remaking Yakuza 3, the franchise's third mainline entry that originally released in 2009. The studio had previously remade the first two games of Sega's celebrated Yakuza series, Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2, in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Ever since, fans have been eager for confirmation of a potential Yakuza 3 remake.

Though Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio delivered two solid Yakuza remakes in the form of Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2, contrary to what many had expected (and hoped for), the studio did not keep that remake train going. Of course, we did get Like a Dragon: Ishin! last year, but those who’ve been waiting for a Yakuza Kiwami 3 (or Like a Dragon Kiwami 3, as it would now be known), have been left wanting, with RGG Studio seemingly content to have remasters available for the series’ third, fourth, and fifth numbered entries.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio said last week that it would be making an “important” announcement related to the Like a Dragon series today, with many expecting that new details would be shared in the series’ next instalment- which is sort of what’s happened. During the recent episode of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio TV, though a new Like a Dragon game wasn’t announced, RGG Studio shared the first behind-the-scenes update on it.

The development studio behind the storied Like a Dragon franchise has urged fans to tune in on April 1 for a special announcement. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth released back in January to critical acclaim. Joining franchise icon Kazuma Kiryu and upbeat newcomer Ichiban Kasuga, Infinite Wealth is the largest entry in the series yet, boasting new adventures in Hawaii and Japan, and introducing several fresh faces to the already large web of characters.

With Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth now a couple months old, there isn’t much information available on what developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is working on for the future (a rare occurrence for the developer), though it seems that might change soon.

Recently, the Yakuza series was renamed to Like a Dragon, reflecting its Japanese title and shedding certain preconceived notions about the games. These beat ’em up role-playing games have made Sega a fortune, shipping over 21.3 million copies since its debut in 2005.

The Like a Dragon series “absolutely must” continue using its bespoke Dragon Engine, but staff must also learn about alternate options, the series’ technical director says.

The director of Like a Dragon developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio says he’s surprised at the initial sales pattern for the latest game in the series, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has seen great success since launching this past January, selling over one million units in its first week. This is despite other big-name games like Tekken 8 and Persona 3 Reload arriving around the same time. However, according to studio director and series producer Masayoshi Yokoyama, it’s a speed that the developer has “never experienced before.”

In the lead-up to Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s launch, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio made it abundantly clear that the RPG was going to be its biggest, most ambitious game to date, and in the immediate aftermath of its release, it looks like the game is enjoying the sort of success the developer would have hoped for. In addition to receiving widespread acclaim from critics, Infinite Wealth also broke the series’ peak concurrent user count record on Steam upon launch, and as per Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, was generating similar interest in leading up to its release as well.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has earned the largest launch on Steam for any game released by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

Fans of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth recently discovered a reference to Shenmue, with characters discussing an incident revolving around its protagonist, Ryo Suzuki. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth launched earlier this week, featuring the same open-world exploration and turn-based RPG battle mechanics as its predecessor, Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Prior to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the franchise was a beat-em-up action brawler that saw players exploring open-world cities. Many fans believe that a lot of Like a Dragon's mechanics can be traced back to fellow Sega IP, Shenmue.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth received widespread critical acclaim from critics in the lead-up to its release, becoming the highest-rated game in the series to date, and it seems that’s being reflected in how the game is performing. Having launched earlier today, the game has got off to a solid start, if its Steam numbers are any indication.

Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Like a Dragon franchise (formerly known as Yakuza) has been growing in popularity with each new instalment over recent years, and it’s now come out with its biggest game to date. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is out now, and Sega has released a launch trailer to commemorate its release and offer another look at the massive RPG. Check it out below.

It’s easy to get breathless talking about Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Fans of the Like A Dragon series aren't happy about streamer Felix «xQc» Lengyel promoting Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth. The latest Like A Dragon game will release on January 26, but xQc was able to play the game early for a sponsored stream.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has looked quite promising in the lead-up to its launch, but though there’s plenty about the upcoming RPG that has turned quite a few heads, publisher Sega is making some decisions that aren’t proving popular with the community.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is promising improvements over Yakuza: Like a Dragon in several ways, and specifically where its RPG mechanics are concerned, a lot of that will come down to the many new Jobs that the game will be introducing on top of the ones that will be returning from its predecessor.

The Like a Dragon franchise (formerly known as Yakuza) has gained immense popularity on Steam in recent, to the point where it may very well be one of its biggest platforms in terms of its audience at this point. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is set to launch in a matter of days as well, and for those who are hoping to play it on the Steam Deck, there’s good news.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s PC version will feature support for Nvidia’s DLSS 3 at launch, Nvidia announced as part of its recent CES 2024 presentation (where it also confirmed DLSS 3 support for Dragon’s Dogma 2 andHorizon Forbidden West). Nvidia says it will be showcasing just what sort of improvements you can expect from the game with DLSS 3 enabled “soon”.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is going to revolve around the two protagonists we all know and love from the Yakuza series in the form of Ichiban and Kiryu. The latter has been a staple for the series for nearly two decades, and entering the eighth mainline title, fans wonder how old the iconic Yakuza fighter is?

New hands-on impressions and gameplay for RGG Studio’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth went live yesterday, showcasing almost everything players can do. From the Pokemon-esque Sujimon to the revamped Delivery Help Summons, there’s a lot to check out, courtesy of Famitsu and 4Gamer.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has a lot going on, whether it’s the sheer number of Substories or massive activities like Sujimon and DonDoko Island. On top of all this is dedicated side story content for Kazuma Kiryu, who’s facing dire circumstances. While he has a mission to adhere to, he also has the Bucket List with tasks to complete.

The Yakuza series took a big swing with Yakuza: Like a Dragon, not only with a completely new protagonist, setting, and cast of characters, but also thanks to its reinvention as a Persona-style turn-based RPG. But as big of a swing it was, it also turned out to be a successful one, with the game being met with widespread critical acclaim, which has also been reflected in its commercial performance, having sold over 1.8 million units so far.

Yakuza is a storied franchise that keeps on giving. Each installment in the series leading to 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon has offered something new and innovative, along with consistently satisfying expansions to the evergrowing story of main characters Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasuga.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio was quite active in 2023 with the releases of Like a Dragon: Ishin! and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, while the studio is also gearing up for the imminent launch of the series’ next mainline instalment in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. As you may have guessed, however, there’s plenty more in the pipeline as well- some of which we’ll be hearing about in the coming months.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s output in 2023 has been pretty impressive, with Like a Dragon: Ishin! andLike a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name garnering acclaim. Both titles made their way to Game Pass, the latter even launching on day one. However, the studio’s next mainline title, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, won’t be following suit.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s titles tend to be quite long, not counting Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the team’s next mainline title, is no exception, with Honolulu City over three times bigger than Yokohama from Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

The official website for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, RGG Studio’s next mainline entry for the franchise, has been updated with new details. It discusses the Dungeons that players will venture to, both in Hawaii and Yokohama, which serve as “the strongholds of various ruffians” (translation via DeepL).

The Yakuza series has enjoyed a significant explosion in mainstream popularity in markets outside of Japan in recent years, and that, as you may expect, has resulted in increased sales as well. In fact, the series’ eighth mainline instalment, Yakuza: Like a Dragon – which reinvented the franchise as a turn-based RPG – has enjoyed solid sales in particular.

Earlier this month, Ryu Ga Gotoku confirmed that Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name would be getting its previously announced English dub as a free update sometime this month. That update is available now, so if you’ve been holding out so you can play the game in English, now’s your chance to jump in.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has shared some new details on Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, specifically the minigames that players can indulge in. It already showcased Crazy Delivery and Dondoko Island, but there’s also Miss Match, an app that protagonist Ichiban Kasuga can use for matchmaking.

While Sega’s other properties, like Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio and Shinobi, were the bigger deal at The Game Awards, RGG Studio’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth received a new trailer. It focuses on side story content for Kazuma Kiryu, the long-running protagonist of the series and deuteragonist of the sequel. Check it out below.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s story trailer for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has received an English version, showcasing voice acting and localization. Daniel Dae Kim (who voiced Johnny Gat in Saints Row) will play Masataka Ebina, while the legendary Danny Trejo plays Dwight Mendez. Check out the trailer below, though beware of spoilers if you want to go in blind.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has revealed fresh new details on Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the next mainline entry in the series. It’s set in Honolulu City, Hawaii, and a new tweet says the location is over three times bigger than Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama. While it sounds absurd, it does explain the eighth title being the series’ longest yet.

In addition to new details on Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s combat, including the new Smackdown feature for weaker enemies, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has also discussed the Job System. Each character has an exclusive Job now, with Kiryu’s being the most unique.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, a spin-off of the main series featuring Kazuma Kiryu, is out now. It’s available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC while also playable for Game Pass subscribers. Check out the launch trailer below.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name launches later this week, and reviews are already available (check out ours here). In the meantime, Sega has released a new trailer introducing the protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, who has adopted the codename Joryu. Check it out below.

Thus far, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has showcased delivery mini-games, crazy combat, surfing and even dolphin riding. However, in a new trailer at the Xbox Partner Preview showcase, the developer revealed Dondoko Island. It’s Animal Crossing but with Like a Dragon trappings.

Microsoft has announced its next showcase event, the Xbox Partner Preview, for October 25th. It will broadcast on Twitch and YouTube at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET and feature over 20 minutes of trailers and gameplay from third-party developers. There will also be announcements for upcoming Game Pass titles.

While Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has built up hype due to its zaniness (and possible returning locations), Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name arrives in early November. It follows Kazuma Kiryu after the events of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, as he works under the code name Joryu.

The Brazil Game Show took place last week, and publishers like Sega were present, dropping new trailers for games like Persona 3 Reload. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was also there, and while new gameplay wasn’t released, something far stranger has occurred. The debug menu was reportedly accessible from the event demo and revealed the return of classic locations.

If you’re subscribed to Game Pass, you have quite a few notable upcoming releases to look forward to. Microsoft has revealed the lineup of games that will be added to the subscription service’s library in the coming days as part of the first wave of October additions, and there’s a couple of major titles to look forward to.

Recently at its RGG Summit, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio revealed a host of new details on upcoming Like a Dragon games, with the series’ next mainline instalment, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, taking centerstage. Along with confirming that the RPG will be out in January, and will be sold at a price of $70 (a first for the franchise), the developer has also revealed the first 20 minutes of the game, courtesy of IGN.

During Xbox’s Digital Broadcast at Tokyo Game Show 2023, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio head Masayoshi Yokohama announced that Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name would be available on day one for Game Pass for Xbox and PC subscribers.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio dropped several big announcements during its Fall 2023 showcase, from a release date for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth to the first extensive gameplay video. It was also confirmed to retail for $70 with pre-orders going live. However, tucked away at the very beginning was the reveal of the opening movie for Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

Kicking off its RGG Summit Fall 2023 showcase, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio announced that Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth would launch on January 26th, 2024. It’s coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. A new video is also available at around the 22-minute mark, showcasing various story scenes, though there wasn’t much real-time gameplay. Check it out below.

Kazuma Kiryu, the Dragon of Dojima, is no more. At least, in the eyes of the world at large. But true legends never die… they just get a massive image change, a new career, and a new name. Enter the new dragon: Joryu, a secret agent with a fighting prowess that betrays years of experience on the meanest of streets, packing an extra rocket-powered punch with a bevy of new hi-tech gadgetry in tow.