Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth wants to bring even more new players into the franchise

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has decided to pick a different title in the franchise’s next mainline installment based on the market it is targeting. While in the West it will be titled Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, in Japan it will only be Ryu Ga Gotoku 8 (Like a Dragon 8). There is a good reason why everywhere outside of Japan the game will be detached from the number. The head of the studio, Masayoshi Yokoyama, explained in a statement the reasons behind this decision.

The next stage in Ichiban’s story

“The reason for this change is because we determined the messages and themes of this latest game could be perceived differently by fans in Japan and Asia versus those in the West who began the franchise from Yakuza: Like a Dragon,” explains Yokoyama in the release. “Additionally, we felt that one subtitle simply isn’t enough for Ryu Ga Gotoku 8 in Japan. Which character and which point of view in this complex, intertwined storyline do you think you’ll most closely relate to?”

Yokoyama stresses that depending on the installments you have played in Japan “your answer may change”. “It is our hope that, once you have finished the game, you might even be enticed to provide a subtitle of your own.” In the case of the West, the emphasis that Yakuza: Like a Dragon was a new starting point in the saga makes linking it to a number seem strange.

“The Western version, on the other hand, is subtitled for fans who started their Like a Dragon experience with Kasuga Ichiban’s story (Yakuza: Like a Dragon).The concept of infinity is deeply tied to the themes of the latest installment. We have had this subtitle in mind since last year’s teaser trailer, in which the two main characters, Kasuga Ichiban and Kazuma Kiryu, were surrounded by the infinity symbol.”

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will release in early 2024 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

Source | RGG Studio