The Like a Dragon franchise celebrates 19 years: what surprises is Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio preparing for the anniversary?

8 December marks the 19th anniversary of the Like a Dragon series, which first appeared in North America in 2005 under the title Yakuza. And in honour of this, the authors are preparing surprises for next year.

Here's What We Know

In a special video released today, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio greeted fans and shared plans for 2025. Sega and RGG Studio have big plans for the 20th anniversary, starting with the release of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Additionally, fans can expect new merchandise and content throughout the year, and it won't be limited to Japan.

"Starting today, we will be holding various events and announcements to celebrate our 20th anniversary next year," said Masayoshi Yokoyama, director of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. "We are also setting up a global structure to deliver various merchandise and content to fans in Japan, Asia, and the West starting next year."

While it's too early to talk about specific announcements for next year, many fans have taken this opportunity to express their desire to see sequels to existing games in the series. One of the most popular requests is the third instalment of the Judgement spin-off, as more than three years have passed since Lost Judgement and there has been no news about the third game.

Over the past 19 years, the Like a Dragon series has become one of Sega's most important franchises. Along with Sonic and Persona, the company considers it one of the "three pillars". The success of the series has allowed Sega to invest in other forgotten franchises such as Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio.

Fans are eagerly awaiting news about the future of the series, as the 20th anniversary is an important event. We hope that RGG Studio has prepared many surprises for both long-time fans and newcomers who are just starting to get to know what Like a Dragon has to offer.

Source: @RGGStudio