Like a Dragon 8 has a significantly increased amount of attention on it compared to the Like a Dragon franchise's many other installments. With the involved characters and narrative of the release being such a big step for the IP, fans are waiting with great anticipation for any further updates from Ryu Ga Gotoku as to what exactly the game will entail.
While the anticipation surrounding Like a Dragon 8 is palpable, the lack of current information regarding the title and its vague 2024 release date may run the risk of losing fan attention over time. With this in mind, it seems imperative that Ryu Ga Gotoku uses the recent launch of the high-profile Like a Dragon: Ishin and the IP's spike in popularity to release further details for its next mainline release.
The Recent Launch of Like a Dragon: Ishin
Like a Dragon: Ishin recently launched on February 21; it's a remake of an obscure yet cult-classic prior installment in the Yakuza franchise called Ryu Ga Gotoku: Ishin, which released in 2014. The original game was only available in the Japanese market, with no English localization of the release being made available for Western audiences before this year. The unique setting and gripping story of Ishin led to a demand for a Western release of the title, and fans waited for almost a decade before finally seeing their wish come true.
Ishin sees the most popular and iconic characters of the Yakuza franchise be thrown into 1800s Japan with new identities. The game tells the story of real-life Samurai Sakamoto Ryoma during a period of intense geopolitical conflict in Japan. The long-awaited release of Like a Dragon: Ishin was met with huge amounts of anticipation, and Ryu Ga Gotoku should capitalize on this hype given the many upcoming projects that are in development for the franchise.
Using Ishin's Success For Like a Dragon 8
While Ishin is a momentous release that was a long time coming in the eyes of many, it is no secret that the near-future of the franchise holds some much larger and even more ambitious projects. For example, 2023 is also set to see the release of Like a Dragon Gaiden:The Man Who Erased His Name, which tells the story of long-time protagonist Kazuma Kiryu between the events of Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
More importantly, however, is the upcoming release of the franchise's next mainline title, Like a Dragon 8. Set for a release window of 2024, Like a Dragon 8 will be the first mainline franchise title to release in four years, and thus the way it is received by fans holds a tremendous amount of importance. Like a Dragon 8 was announced in September 2022, revealing that the game will continue the story of Ichiban Kasuga while featuring the surprise return of Kiryu in a dual protagonist role.
Practically nothing else has been revealed regarding the title since this date, leaving many fans wondering what exactly the game will entail. There's still likely over a year until Like a Dragon 8 releases, so it is important that Ryu Ga Gotoku times announcements well to keep fans engaged. With this in mind, the recent upturn in discourse surrounding the IP thanks to the long-awaited release of Like a Dragon: Ishin is a huge benefit, and any further details of LaD8 should be released soon to make the most of this. As so many more players are currently engaged in the wider franchise, Ishin has presented Ryu Ga Gotoku with an opportunity that is too good to pass up.
Like a Dragon 8 will release in 2024 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
