Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the developers behind the Like a Dragon series, announces the date for this summer's RGG Summit, which will likely feature more news about Like a Dragon 8 and Gaiden. Both of these games are going to follow up on the plot threads that were introduced with Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the game's soft reboot with Ichiban Kasuga taking up the reins as the series' main protagonist. The eighth numbered game is a direct sequel to the seventh mainline game, while Gaiden will be an interquel that explains how previous protagonist Kiryu Kazuma gets tied into the events of LaD 8 off of the heels of Yakuza 6.Like a Dragon 8 will be continuing the RPG gameplay that was introduced with Yakuza: Like a Dragon, with both Ichiban Kasuga and Kiryu Kazuma getting their own party. Meanwhile, the Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name spin-off will focus on a retired Kiryu by himself, who has taken up being a monk. Unlike the aforementioned eighth game, Like a Dragon Gaiden will be going back to its roots with the action-brawler style fans are familiar with. Fans will likely get more information about both these games this June. A tweet from RGG Studio's official Twitter account announces the date for RGG Summit, a showcase that will be held on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at 11 PM EST, or in Japan, in the afternoon due to time zone differences. It asks fans to stay tuned for more details about the livestream, which will be revealed in the future. This June timeline will place it about a week after Summer Game Fest, which Sega will be participating in as well. It's unknown if Summer Games Fest will feature either of these games before this RGG Summit event.
The previous RGG Summit event that was held last year took place just a day before the Tokyo Game Show 2022, which promised the reveal of a brand-new entry in the series. Not only did it reveal Like a Dragon 8, but it also revealed the spin-off with brand-new cinematic trailers. It is likely a safe bet that this upcoming event will feature one or both of these games, as Gaiden is set to release later this year, though no specific dates have been given yet.
Like a Dragon 8 is scheduled to release next year, though much like Gaiden, a launch date hasn't been disclosed yet. Perhaps this event will give both games a more specific release window for fans to look forward to and maybe even gameplay. For now, fans will need to wait until June to see what RGG Studio is cooking.
Like a Dragon 8 will release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2024.