Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has confirmed that the fan-favorite Cabaret mini-game will make a return in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. The game is set to launch sometime in 2023, and it marks the return of series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu as the main playable character. Like a Dragon Gaiden was officially revealed earlier this year, alongside confirmation of Like a Dragon 8 featuring dual protagonists Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasuga.The Yakuza series offers several types of mini-games that allow users to take a break from the main story. This list includes bowling, karaoke, SEGA arcade games, mini-golf, drone racing, and more. Some of these mini-games are more extensive and in-depth, as they come with a series of quests that tell a short story. The official Twitter account of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has confirmed that Like a Dragon Gaiden will come with the Cabaret mini-game first seen in Yakuza 0. An improved version was featured in Yakuza Kiwami 2, but it hasn’t been a part of the franchise since. Cabaret Club is considered to be one of the best mini-games in the Yakuza series, while pocket circuit and darts also appear to be popular.
For those unaware, in previous iterations of the mini-game, players were tasked with running the day-to-day operations of a club in the Cabaret mini-game. Fans need to recruit hostesses with desirable stats and then match their skills with the customers’ preferences.
Both versions of the Cabaret Club mini-game came with a short story that focused on the club competing against bigger ones in the area. Curiously, this mini-game was only playable in Majima’s section in Yakuza 0, while Kiryu took charge of the Cabaret Club in Yakuza Kiwami 2. So it’ll be interesting to see if Majima makes an appearance in this game mode, given that he was prominently featured in the Cabaret story from Yakuza Kiwami 2.
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio had earlier confirmed that Like a Dragon Gaiden will be shorter than a standard Yakuza game. It’ll be longer than The Kaito Files DLC for Lost Judgment, but fans can expect to be done with the game in 10-20 hours. Its story is set to bridge the gaps between Yakuza 6, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Like a Dragon 8 as it shows what Kiryu has been up to in this time frame.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2023.
