Yarrr… never gonna believe this, but they’ve made another Yakuza game. Another Yakuza game in Hawaii of all places. Over the weekend at the RGG Summit event, ahead of the Tokyo Games Show this weekend, SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku revealed the latest game in the Like a Dragon series, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Set in the modern day, this one follows everyone’s favorite madman/karaoke singer, Goro Majima as a swashbuckling madman. I guess it is appropriate, he does have an eyepatch after all. This is what the press release has to say:

“One year after the events of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Majima washes ashore on a deserted island amid the scattered remnants of a shipwreck. Unable to remember even his own name, Majima travels across the vast ocean in search of clues to piece together his lost identity, accompanied by a boy named Noah who saved his life. Before long, they’re caught up in a conflict between cutthroat criminals, modern-day pirates[,] and other scoundrels over a legendary treasure.” Already I’m sold, kind of. I’ve not played a new Yakuza since 6 and not a Like a Dragon title since that switch. Yes, I know that’s always been the name in Japan.

On the new adventures, the press release goes on to note: “As Majima, players will assemble a one-of-a-kind crew while upgrading their ship, the ‘Goromaru,’ battling enemy pirate ships and conquering seas and hidden islands alike. In combat, players can deliver explosive combos and aerial takedowns by dynamically switching between two fighting styles: dual-wield short swords or deploy pirate tools with the swashbuckling ‘Sea Dog’ style or utilize speed, [and] agility and flair to defeat enemies into submission with the infamous ‘Mad Dog’ style.“

Before I even think about getting into the three editions and pre-orders, I also want to note something in the trailer about 6 minutes and 29-30 seconds in, showcasing another wrestler for the series. Previously the series has had innovator of the Fujiwara armbar, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, current IWGP Heavyweight champion Tetsuya Naito, NJPW president and director Hiroshi Tanahashi, and some guy called Kazuchika Okada. As well as some actual legends, Keiji Mutoh, Masahiro Chono, and Riki Choshu. Though the Like a Dragon series also had some Trooper Cards in Ishin, one of which featured AEW star and Canadian wrestler, Kenny Omega.

Now it seems another current AEW star, former champion within the company, champion in WWE, champion in TNA (the company everyone sadly forgets), and of course, only the third World Heavyweight Champion (then only called ROH Championship until May 2003) in Ring of Honor. I am of course talking about the only Samoan named Joe, Samoa Joe. It is only a small clip, but Joe took to social media including Instagram and Twitter (go away Elon), to simply say, “Aloha Majima-san.” Making him (I think) only the second North American wrestler to make it into the series? Don’t quote me on that.

The people shown after that in similar close-ups? Not a clue, they could be cameos from Holby City for all I know. As promised, we’ll get to the pre-orders and editions you can currently look into, with no prizes for guessing how basic the “Standard Edition” is. Coming on both digital and physical, it is the only version to do so. The Deluxe Edition only comes in digital formats on your preferred platform’s storefronts, which includes the “customization and character DLC packs,” as the press release notes.

The Collector’s Edition is only in a physical format, with all that comes with the Deluxe Edition and more. You get the base game (I’m looking at you Square Enix, Sony, EA, and 2K), the Legendary Pirate Crew pack (including Kaz), the Legendary Outfit pack, the Ship Customization pack, and the Extra Karaoke & CD pack. The latter is for when Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi come aboard. You also get a stylized pirate flag, a treasure coin pin, Majima’s eye patch, and a 6″ acrylic standee of Black Pearl Captain Majima wielding swords. Oh and pre-orders are available now.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is releasing on February 28th, 2025 for PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

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