Summary
- The next Yakuza game might be a mobile-only title called Yakuza Wars.
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio recently said that its next project is bound to surprise fans, adding that it will announce it at TGS 2024.
- Whether that mysterious game and Yakuza Wars are one and the same is currently unclear.
The next Yakuza game might come with a big catch in that it will be mobile-only, according to some newly surfaced evidence. What's more, the unannounced game could even see the series revive the Yakuza name, which was recently retired in favor of the Like a Dragon branding.
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio first teased its next game in July 2024, when one of its officials said that fans are bound to be "surprised" by its upcoming project. The Sega subsidiary later clarified that the mysterious game will be officially unveiled during Tokyo Game Show 2024, which is scheduled to kick off on September 26.
Like A Dragon Studio Teasing 'Surprising' Next Game Reveal
Like a Dragon developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio reveals when it will announce its next game, which it expects will surprise some fans.
Yakuza Wars Leaked via Prematurely Published Facebook Page
That announcement might have just been spoiled via a prematurely published Facebook page for a game called Yakuza Wars. Although Facebook pages can be created by anyone, this particular one features two pieces of never-before-seen and official-looking art depicting some of the series' most recognizable characters, including Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima. The name of the page also matches the Yakuza Wars trademark that Sega filed to secure in late July 2024. Additionally, ads for the unannounced game have already started appearing on Facebook, as recently spotted by Reddit user 8349_47.
The cover image used on the newly emerged Facebook page suggests that Yakuza Wars will be published by BBGame, a Guangzhou, China-based publisher specializing in mobile games. It also includes the Dragon Among Men moniker written in kanji, which is how the Like a Dragon series is called in China. The page's about section claims that the unannounced game will provide players with a chance to fight alongside iconic characters like Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, and Ichiban Kasuga on a quest to write their own "underworld legend."
Sega Is Seemingly Reviving Yakuza Name 2 Years After Retiring It
One puzzling implication stemming from this leak concerns the game's purported name, which suggests that Sega is reviving the Yakuza brand after replacing it with Like a Dragon back in 2022. The publisher previously characterized that move as an attempt to standardize the series' marketing on a global level, as Yakuza was always called Like a Dragon in Japan.
Yakuza Wars would not be the series' first spin-off to make its way to mobile devices. That title belongs to Ryū ga Gotoku Online, a free-to-play collectible card game that reached the Google Play Store and iOS App Store in 2018. Although it remains playable to this day, having also been ported to PC, it never made its way outside of Japan.
Sega's Yakuza franchise is a series of action-adventure and role-playing games that revolve around characters who are a part of or associated with dangerous criminal organizations.
The various games in the series tend to be led by gripping, emotional narratives but are supplemented by hilarious side stories and enjoyable mini-games that give players a welcome break from the drama.