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The 2022 Ryu Ga Gotaku (RGG) summit had a lot in store for fans of the Yakuza franchise. The latest franchise entry, Yakuza Like a Dragon 8, was revealed, and a spin-off to the first Like a Dragon title was also announced, featuring Kazuma Kiryu.
The spin-off will be called Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and the developers have confirmed at the summit that the title will have a release sometime in 2023.
While the official date is yet to be confirmed by RGG Studios, fans of the franchise can’t wait to find out what the protagonist of the first series of games was up to when Ichiban was given the spotlight in Like a Dragon.
The short trailer players enjoyed in the summit showed a much aged Kiryu meditation in a temple during the Summer of 2018. He was then given an order by a man who has not been introduced in the Yakuza games thus far.
When Kiryu receives the mission, it’s mentioned to fans that he has renounced his previous life of violence and goes by the codename Joryu. Kiryu reluctantly accepts the mission, which was soon followed by the title, The Man Who Erased His Name, and the release year.
What to expect from Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
The RGG Studios’ official description for The Man Who Erased His Name sheds a lot of light on what fans will be able to expect from the title when it officially goes live next year. According to the developers,
"This classic high-octane RGG action-adventure sheds light on Kiryu’s perspective following the events of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life leading up to Like a Dragon 8."
Hence, the narrative will focus heavily on what Kiryu was up to when Yakuza 6: The Song of Life ended and how his story will lead to the events of Like a Dragon 8.
The upcoming franchise entry will be released in 2024, and it is mentioned that Kiryu will play a crucial role in it. While Yakuza 8 will have turn-based combat featured in Like a Dragon, The Man Who Erased His Name will return to its roots and have more traditional Yakuza gameplay.
The Man Who Erased His Name will also be a much shorter journey for players and almost half the length of the mainline Yakuza entries.
