Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii promises to be an exhilarating blend of serious drama and comedic flair, according to developer RGG Studio. Dive into the details of what you can expect from this upcoming game!

Featuring "Serious" Majima

But There’ll Still Be Goofing Off

The latest addition to the beloved Like a Dragon series is poised to stretch the limits of reality while delivering a compelling "manly drama," as RGG Studio shared in an interview with Automaton Media.

While the series is renowned for its humor and light-hearted moments, with Majima often cited as one of the funniest characters, RGG Studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama has revealed that this iteration of Majima will adopt a more "serious" demeanor, particularly in the early stages of the narrative.

Ryosuke Horii, the producer of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, elaborated on Yokoyama’s remarks, highlighting the "manly drama" at the game's core. This drama will showcase Majima's fervent pursuit of his goals and the relationships he builds along his extraordinary journey. "The goofing off isn’t the main focus – there’s a profound drama at the heart of it all. Of course, there are wild detours, but fundamentally, it’s a straightforward tale about a passionate man," Horii explained.

Horii also touched on what sets Majima apart from the series' long-standing protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu. As translated by Automaton, he said, "If we didn’t fully leverage that uniqueness, there would be no reason to have Majima as the protagonist. That’s why we’ve pushed the boundaries of reality more than we would with Kiryu, aiming to provide players with a rich, varied action experience. ... Balancing the pirate theme, Majima’s character, and the essence of ‘Ryu ga Gotoku’ was a challenging task."

The game strives to strike the perfect balance between realism and extravagance, ensuring that it's anything but dull. The team is driven to make the gameplay a bit "wilder," while still maintaining a serious and meaningful narrative.

Majima Maji Festival In Japan

In anticipation of the game’s release, RGG Studio is hosting a special themed event known as Majima’s Maji Festival in six cities across Japan. The festival kicked off on December 1, 2024, in Sapporo and is nearing its conclusion, with stops left in Nagoya on January 18th and Tokyo on January 25th. If you're in either of these cities on those dates, don't miss out on the festivities!

The latest installment in the Like a Dragon/Yakuza franchise, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, brings back the iconic character "The Mad Dog of Shimano," Goro Majima, as the lead. With its thrilling action-packed combat, exciting naval battles, vibrant cast, and heartfelt story, the game promises a unique modern-day pirate adventure.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One on February 21st.