Ryu Ga Gotoku confirm their series isn't Yakuza anymore, it’s Like A Dragon Rock Paper Shotgun Support us Join our newsletter Visit our store Sign in / Create account If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Ryu Ga Gotoku confirm their series isn't Yakuza anymore, it’s Like A Dragon If dropping your name’s good enough for Kiryu, then it’s good enough for anything News by CJ Wheeler News Reporter Published on Sept. 20, 2022 7 comments One of the big reveals from last week's Tokyo Games Show was Like A Dragon 8, the next in what we've been calling the Yakuza series. Except the game didn't seem to be following the naming convention of its predecessor Yakuza: Like A Dragon, instead ditching the part associated with the Japanese crime syndicate. The head of series developers Ryu Ga Gotoku, Masayoshi Yokoyama, has since confirmed the change in a recent interview (thanks IGN). Like A Dragon: Ishin! doesn't even have the Yakuza in it, so it's a good time to drop the moniker. In Japan, the Yakuza series has always been known by the same name as its developer. Ryu Ga Gotoku basically translates to Like A Dragon. That's why the last game had it in the title, and why the series is changing to that name for the future. It's like when Resident Evil 7 was subtitled Biohazard, except we didn't then see Biohazard Village happen. Thanks Capcom, I guess? Yokoyama said that the response to Yakuza: Like A Dragon was good enough for RGG to consider dropping the Yakuza part at last. He didn't feel that keeping the Yakuza name for the Western release of the studio's next game, Like A Dragon: Ishin!, was right because it takes place in the 19th century, without the Yakuza themselves present. "So it just makes sense for us not to include them in the name," Yokoyama said. "If we carry through the accent, we'd be Yakuza: Ishin! It's not Yakuza: Ishin! That's not what it's about. So Like A Dragon: Ishin! makes more sense." Over in the West, we've been referring to RGG's Kiryu-starring, Kamurocho-inhabiting action adventures as Yakuza for just a smidge more than 16 years now. It doesn't really bother me that the name is changing, particularly as Like A Dragon sounds hella kewl. It's just hard not to still call it Yakuza after this long. I'm sure we probably all will, at least for a few years. It helps that there's a metric shedload of Yakuza-no-more games lined up, though. Ed awarded Like A Dragon 8's predecessor a Bestest Bests in his Yakuza: Like A Dragon review back in 2020, particularly enjoying the substories. "Often they're subversive, leading you to believe someone's a ludicrous jackass, before chinning you with their tear-jerking, tragic backstory," he said. "I fought a Piss Wizard, transformed a hoarder's life, and drank warm baby's milk with a diaper-clad yakuza clan (yes, the babies are back, baby)." First among Sega and RGG's salvo of Kiryu is Like A Dragon: Ishin!, out in February. Then we've got Like A Dragon Gaiden sometime in 2023, followed by Like A Dragon 8 in 2024. You won't even remember it was called Yakuza by the time the series' 20th anniversary rocks up in 2025, I'll bet. More News Jack King-Spooner's next handcrafted game has a teaser demo out Judero brings chat and action in the Scottish Borders Alice O'Connor 17 hours ago 1 If you were hoping for any Overwatch 2 balance changes then you'll have to wait until season two The next season begins in December CJ Wheeler 18 hours ago 3 The Dead Space remake will chuck random Necromorphs at you as you wander the Ishimura In space, no one can hear you proper bricking it CJ Wheeler 18 hours ago 8 Valve register mysterious new Neon Prime trademark in the US It doesn’t seem to be for a particularly colourful Steam Deck CJ Wheeler 20 hours ago 11 Latest Articles What are we all playing this weekend? Well? Alice O'Connor an hour ago 21 Past Wordle answers Here's an archive of previous Wordle words Ollie Toms 2 hours ago 1 Wordle answer today (Saturday 15 October) Hints and the answer to today's Wordle word Rebecca Jones 9 hours ago Overwatch 2 hero tier list Which are the best heroes in Overwatch 2? Ollie Toms 16 hours ago Supporters Only You're probably better than me at One Many Nobody You go on without… uh, you? Sin Vega 17 hours ago Supporter podcast - The Nate Files episode 13: dry bones Bad science is also FUN science! Alice Bell 18 hours ago Japanese dating show Love Wagon has surprising parallels with Yakuza and Persona My new obsession Ed Thorn 2 days ago If you're hankering after Bayonetta 3, Valkyrie Elysium might be a good substitute It's not out on PC until next month, but the console demo has been a surprise charmer Katharine Castle 1 week ago 4 We've been talking, and we think that you should wear clothes Total coincidence, but we sell some clothes Buy RPS stuff here