On July 26, Sega filed a trademark for Yakuza Wars in Japan, but it’s unclear whether this refers to a new Like a Dragon title or something else entirely. Regardless, the title will likely be used in a video game of some sort, and not as part of other Sega ventures.
A less likely possibility is that Yakuza Wars could be a potential spin-off in Sega’s Sakura Wars series or a crossover between Sakura Wars and Like a Dragon.
Formerly known as Yakuza in the West, the franchise was renamed Like a Dragon in recent years, reflecting its Japanese title and shedding certain preconceived notions about the games. These beat ’em up role-playing games have made Sega a fortune, shipping over 21.3 million copies since its debut.
The Yakuza game series began in 2005 with Yakuza for the PlayStation 2. The most recent game in the franchise, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, was released in January 2024 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
A live-action series inspired by the games, Like a Dragon: Yakuza, will air on Amazon Prime Video, with the first three episodes airing on October 25 and the final three on November 1. Produced in Japan, fans will be able to watch in Japanese or with a dubbed voiceover.
Recently, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama claimed that the first episode’s ending made him scream and jump out of his chair before going for a cigarette break.
“There’s a major surprise at the end of episode one,” he said. “When I saw the ending, I couldn’t help but scream. I jumped on my feet in my office, excited by the drama’s twist. My hands were trembling, as I took a smoke in our smoking room right after that. I was that affected. I thought it was amazing.”