Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth – Is it Yakuza 8?

Ryu Ga Gotoku is ready to release Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the latest installment of the Yakuza series. However, many players wonder if this is a stand-alone story or if it follows the story of the latest game in the franchise.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will continue the legendary RPG franchise from Sega and Ryu ga Gotoku Studio. Players will have a chance to follow Ichiban Kasuga on his trip to Hawaii while he’s looking for his long-lost mother. However, Kasuga’s criminal past catches up with him, and users will have to survive while the character keeps looking his way to redemption.

While fans are more than excited to get their hands on one of the most popular AAA to be released in 2024, many others wonder why this new chapter of the Yakuza franchise isn’t called “Yakuza 8,” which has led to speculating that Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is just a DLC.

Why isn’t Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth called Yakuza 8?

According to the Director of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, Masayoshi Yokoyama, the change of the name is a matter of localization. This means that there are some aspects of the original Japanese title that didn’t translate to English.

Yokoyama clarified this in an official statement made in X, where he pointed out that rebranding the game would be “friendlier” for players who are getting to know the franchise. Here’s what the original statement said:

We are pleased to announce that the official little of the next Western release of Like a Dragon will be Like a dragon: Infinite Wealth. Meanwhile, in Japan, the official title will be Ryu Ga Gotoku 8.

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 started the franchise from Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

And that’s why Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth isn’t called Yakuza 8. If you want to know more about the latest games of 2024, check our guides below:

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