Yakuza is becoming a huge franchise. Since its humble beginnings on the PS2, the semi-open-world brawler has become a household name in Japan, and has grown steadily in the West following 2017's Yakuza 0. At its recent showcase, Yakuza developer Ryu Ga Gotuku Studio (RGGS) discussed three new games in the series: a spin-off that takes place between Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the eighth mainline entry, and a remake of formerly Japanese-exclusive samurai spin-off Like a Dragon: Ishin!
Bringing Like a Dragon: Ishin! to the west is a stark contrast to how RGG and Sega approached the series just 10 years ago. Formerly Japan-exclusive remakes Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 have made their way to the States, and the recent Rainbow Six and Yakuza crossover further hints at a desire for increased presence in the west. It seems like RGG Studio is committed to bringing out its full catalog, but one missing entry so far is Yakuza: Dead Souls
Like a Dragon Goes West
The choice to remake Like a Dragon: Ishin! was a huge surprise that many did not see coming given the original entry was released in 2014 exclusively for PS3 and PS4 in Japan. It is a non-canonical spin-off set during the age of samurai, starred the series' main protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. The decision to remake it shows a newfound sense of confidence in the strength of the IP, which could be great news for remaking other non-canon spin-offs like the zombie-busting third-person shooter Yakuza: Dead Souls.
The recent name change from Yakuza to Like a Dragon shows that Sega and RGG are committed to developing singularity between global releases for the franchise. Dead Souls was not a particularly successful game commercially or critically when it debuted on the PS3 back in 2011. Many felt that the controls were clunky and the entire concept of a zombie spin-off in the Yakuza universe was an odd choice. For a series famed for its beat em' up brawls, outfitting the four playable characters with guns was a stark departure that did not sit well.
However, if Like a Dragon: Ishin! is as successful as Sega and RGG hope it will be, there's virtually no reason to not give Dead Souls the remake treatment. If the remake of Like a Dragon Ishin! was motivated by Ghost of Tsushima, surely a remake of Dead Souls could be motivated by games such as Back 4 Blood or Dead Rising. It could be RGG's big push for multiplayer content, allowing fans to explore the Like a Dragon universe in a completely new way by shooting zombies with their friends as they explore the ruined streets of Kamurocho. Sales numbers have shown that audiences in the west have a stomach for the Yakuza series and a fondness for taking down hordes of zombies, so it would be a fitting project.
RGG Studio knows that Yakuza fans like playing as Kiryu, so giving people another chance without having to worry about the franchise's lore is another win. Since every mainline game in the series is now playable in the west, and a formerly Japanese-exclusive spin-off is making its debut soon, one might assume that if Like a Dragon: Ishin! is successful commercially and critically, Yakuza: Dead Souls could finally get its proper moment in the spotlight.
Like a Dragon: Ishin! releases February 21, 2023, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
