Goro Majima Takes to the Seas in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza Set for 2025 Release

An exciting new installment in the Yakuza franchise has been announced, focusing on the unpredictable Goro Majima fighting pirates. During the September 2024 RGG Summit, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Sega introduced this game titled Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

The storyline appears to revolve around Majima's quest for a missing treasure and may include naval combat reminiscent of a blend between Yakuza and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. The game is anticipated to debut on February 28, 2025.

A detailed trailer showcased Majima stranded on the shores of Rich Island, close to Hawaii, in a disheveled state, aided by a child and a pet tiger. Majima narrates the clip, depicting events that occurred six months earlier and expressing confusion about his situation on the beach.

This new entry seems to connect directly to the storyline of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, with Majima grappling with the fallout from Ichiban Kasuga's actions related to the cult of Palekana on Nele Island. The trailer also reveals Majima embodying the character of a swashbuckler captain.

Gameplay footage highlighted Majima battling across the primary cartographic representation of Hawaii as seen in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, featuring ship engagements and various fresh locales. Participants will have the chance to toggle between the Mad Dog Style and the Sea Dog Style, with jumping mechanics being introduced for the first time in the series.

Fans of Yakuza have eagerly anticipated this game’s announcement for quite some time. Although the previous primary entry, the substantial Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, was released in January, RGG Studio has a reputation for promptly delivering new titles.

During the last five years, the studio has launched several titles, including Yakuza 4 Remastered, Yakuza 5 Remastered, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Judgment Remastered, Lost Judgment, Like a Dragon: Ishin, and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Disappeared His Identity, and Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, in addition to three Super Monkey Ball games and a remastered version of Virtua Fighter 5, totaling 12 games.

After Sega disclosed the RGG Summit in August, fans have speculated about what this upcoming release might entail — whether it would be another mainline installment in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, a spin-off like Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Individual Who Wiped Away His Identity, a remake such as Yakuza: Kiwami or Like a Dragon: Ishin, a new game from the Judgment series, or an entirely different concept.