Sega has commented on the possibility of remaking Like a Dragon: Kenzan, claiming its likelihood depends on the success of Like a Dragon Ishin's upcoming remake. The announcement of Like a Dragon: Ishin during the Tokyo Game Show came as a major surprise to fans, who had long given up hope that Sega would localize the previously Japan-exclusive historical Like a Dragon (or Yakuza) games. While only one of the games has been confirmed, it seems like there is still hope for the other title's chances for a remake.

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Upon its original release in 2013, Like a Dragon Ishin was not Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios' first attempt at blending the Yakuza series with a historical Japanese story and setting, as the first in this series of spin-offs was 2008's Like a Dragon: Kenzan. This saw Kiryu fulfill the role of Miyamoto Musashi in 1605. There has been much debate as to why Sega has decided to remake and localize the latter of these two titles, with some fans speculating that Sega chose Ishin over Kenzan's more questionable content regarding minors which relates to its time period. Regardless, RGG Studios' executive producer has implied that the option is still available to give Kenzan the same love as Ishin.

Speaking to Ungeek, RGG Studios' executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama and chief director Hiroyuki Sakamoto claimed that the main thing holding the studio back from remaking Kenzan is the game's age, with Yokoyama claiming that there is a desire among the team to remake Kenzan, but that it would require far more work than Ishin given the age of the game's combat system. He later added that in order for the team to consider such a remake, Ishin would need to be a proven success first.

Regardless of Ishin being the title chosen first to receive the remake treatment, a remake of Like a Dragon Kenzan still has a pretty big shot of happening if Ishin manages to succeed. Given the success of the Like a Dragon series in recent years and other historical Japan-set games like Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the possibility of that doesn't seem like such a long shot as it did back in 2013.

Like a Dragon: Ishin will release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on February 23, 2023.

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Source: Ungeek