What to Expect from the Like a Dragon Franchise in 2023

This is set to be an exciting year for the Like a Dragon franchise. If all goes to plan, Ryu Ga Gotoku's popular series - formerly known as Yakuza - should release two new spin-off games: Like a Dragon: Ishin!, and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Fans are also hopeful that more details emerge regarding the next mainline entry in the series, Like a Dragon 8, which has a tentative release date of 2024.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! Takes the series to the mid-19th century, during Japan's Bakumatsu period. A remake of the PS3 and PS4 title that was never released outside of Japan, Ishin! Has long been called for by western fans of the series. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is set to bridge the gap between Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, filling in the blanks in the timeline for the series' long-time protagonist Kazuma Kiryu.

What to Expect From Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Initially released in 2014, Like a Dragon: Ishin! Tells the story of Sakamoto Ryoma (who looks suspiciously like Kazuma Kiryu) as he navigates the political pitfalls of feudal Japan. Using the familiar faces of Like a Dragon's cast of characters, Ishin! Places each of them in alternative historical roles. This remake has been built from the ground up, using Unreal Engine 4 to replace Ryu Ga Gotoku's Dragon Engine - which the developer hopes will lead to a polished experience. Plenty of gameplay footage has already been revealed, showing off faster, smoother combat in which the player is able to use swords, fists, and even guns to overcome their opponents.

The game's story is expected to remain mostly unchanged, and the decision to finally bring it to the west was based on a combination of the successful releases of similar titles like Ghost of Tsushima alongside the Like a Dragon series' growing popularity. With the game set to release next month, there may be a final hands-on preview in the next couple of weeks. Should Like a Dragon: Ishin! Perform well, Ryu Ga Gotoku could look to remake other spin-offs in the series, notably Yakuza: Dead Souls, a bizarre blend of Like a Dragon's characters with a third-person zombie shooter.

What to Expect From Like a Dragon: Gaiden

After Yakuza 6: The Song of Life seemingly brought Kazuma Kiryu's story to an end, Yakuza: Like a Dragon introduced Ichiban Kasuga as the series' next protagonist. Many assumed this meant Kiryu's involvement in proceedings had come to a conclusion, even when he briefly returned in the seventh installment to aid Ichiban and his friends on their quest. To everyone's surprise, this is not the case, and Kiryu's presence in the franchise is far from over. Not only was it revealed that Kiryu would be the joint protagonist in Like a Dragon 8, he is also getting another spin-off that dives deeper into his story. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will explain Kiryu's whereabouts between the conclusion of Yakuza 6 and his appearance in Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Aside from a short announcement trailer and this synopsis, not much is known about the new Kiryu-centric spin-off. The release of Ishin! In February should see a shift in marketing focus from Ryu Ga Gotoku, and it is likely the developer will begin to unveil more details about Like a Dragon Gaiden as the year goes on, including gameplay footage and more story details.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon moved away from the action-brawler combat that the series had become synonymous with, instead utilizing a turn-based system. Such was this new system's success that the developer has confirmed it will be used in Like a Dragon 8, too. Like a Dragon Gaiden will revert to the real-time beat 'em up mechanics of previous installments, ensuring fans of both diversifying systems should be somewhat catered for. With the spin-off series Judgement also featuring real-time action, the future of Like a Dragon looks to be in good hands.

What to Expect From Like a Dragon 8 in 2023

For fans of the franchise, the reveal of Like a Dragon 8 was particularly exciting as both Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasuga were confirmed to be protagonists. This unexpected development could lead to some intriguing possibilities, especially as the game will continue to develop and evolve its new turn-based combat system. Having Kiryu and Ichiban both present as lead characters should create an interesting student-teacher dynamic in Like a Dragon 8, but at this stage very little is known about how it will actually work.

A case could be made for the two to have separate adventures, perhaps even letting the player managing two separate parties within Like a Dragon 8, similar to how Yakuza Zero balanced its protagonists, but this would feel like a missed opportunity. Ryu Ga Gotoku should use the opportunity to allow Kiryu to properly pass the torch to Ichiban, imparting the knowledge and wisdom that Kiryu has accumulated over many years of adversity and turmoil.

While the game isn't due to be released until next year, Like a Dragon 8 is confirmed to be the biggest entry in the series yet, and 2023 should shed much more light on its components. The second half of the year in particular could see trailers and hopefully even some gameplay footage of Kiryu and Ichiban in action. Fans of the franchise certainly have much to look forward to this year, and 2023 could be one of the biggest years in Like a Dragon's history.