Sega pulled back the curtain on the next step forward for the Yakuza franchise yesterday, revealing where the series would be going after finishing Kazuma Kiryu’s saga. And it was… well, surprising. Shedding the action brawler mechanics of previous game, Yakuza 7 will instead be a turn based JRPG now, which shocked a lot of people a great deal.

There are many who feel the change in direction for the series is a bad idea, and that it might end up becoming a boring game that ruins the series’ identity. However, Yakuza series producer Daisuke Sato has taken to Twitter to assure fans that that’s not going to be the case. Sato started by thanking fans for their feedback, then proceeding to give assurances that even though he was prepared for such a reaction from series fans, he has confidence that it’ll turn out fine. He then went on to say that the developers are making every effort to make sure that fans are not disappointed in the series’ new direction.

“Thank you for your valuable feedback,” Sato wrote. “I also feel your concern from all the comments. Thank you very much. Many harsh opinions have been received for this announcement, but I am grateful that everyone loved the old Yakuza series.”

“This system change to a ‘new dragon’ is a huge challenge,” he continued. “I was prepared to have some fans who didn’t want the change. However, I do not intend to make a boring game, and I think that we should do our best to make this work a work loved by everyone.

“If you’re not interested in it, or if you feel it is boring, it’s not enough for us.I’m not saying you should support me, but I hope you can follow the upcoming news about the game. The entire team will make every effort to create a work that everyone can enjoy.”

It’s certainly a pretty radical new direction for Yakuza to take, and very different from what we’ve seen from the series in the past- but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some of the best, longest running franchises have only been able to endure because of their willingness to change things up, and if this works for Yakuza, it could lead to a period of some great new games for the series. Here’s hoping, anyway.

#龍7 について
貴重なご意見ありがとうございます。またコメントにも皆様のお気遣いを感じます。ありがとうございます。今回の発表に対して多数の厳しいご意見も頂いておりますが、それだけ旧来の龍シリーズを愛して頂けていたのだと感謝しています。
続く

— 佐藤大輔@名越スタジオ (@satod_cs1) August 29, 2019

今回のシステム変更については「新しい龍」としてのとても大きなチャレンジです。望まないファンの方々がいらっしゃるのも覚悟しておりました。
ですが、けしてつまらない作品を作るつもりはありませんし、本作も皆さんに愛される作品に仕上げるべく頑張る事が、我々がやるべき事と思っています。
続く

— 佐藤大輔@名越スタジオ (@satod_cs1) August 29, 2019

皆様に興味を持って頂けなかったら、触ってつまらないと感じさせたら、それは我々の力不足です。手放しに応援してくださいとは言いません。ただ願わくばこの先の情報も追っていただけると幸いです。皆様に楽しんで頂ける作品に仕上げられるようチーム一同、全力で取り組んで参ります。

— 佐藤大輔@名越スタジオ (@satod_cs1) August 29, 2019

Ryu ga Gotoku Studio has finally unveiled some concrete details on its next Yakuza title in a recent press conference. It’s called Yakuza 7 with the subtitle “Hikari to Yami no Yukue” which translates to “Whereabouts of Light and Darkness”. Releasing on January 16th 2020 for Japan on PS4, it will be out later next year for North America and Europe. Check out the teaser trailer below.

Thanks to translated tweets from Gematsu, we know a bit more about new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga’s backstory. Set in Yokohama, it sees Kasuga exiting from jail after an 18 year stint. He travels to Kamurocho and meets Masumi Arakawa, who saved his life but is now pointing a gun at him. The title will chronicle Kasuga’s rise in the underworld.

It also seems that the combat will indeed be turn-based (seems that April Fool’s Day joke wasn’t a joke after all). You can still use your environment to fight but real-time physics and some degree of magic seems to be involved. Yakuza 7 will be playable at the Tokyo Game Show on September 12th to 15th so we’ll learn more about how it works. But so far, it seems to be a pretty significant departure from its predecessors. Stay tuned for more details.

The next Yakuza game, the one with protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, is called Yakuza 7: Whereabouts of Light and Darkness – or something better that @sega @SEGA_Europe probably already thought up https://t.co/cbOQ4mzdKt

— Gematsu (@gematsu) August 29, 2019

Here's Ichiban Kasuga with short hair https://t.co/CbvQTHzbTr

— Gematsu (@gematsu) August 29, 2019

The game is set in Yokohama.

Protagonist Ichiban Kasuga loves Dragon Quest. Sega got permission from Yuji Horii to mention Dragon Quest in the game.https://t.co/Cqmz9sOBi4

— Gematsu (@gematsu) August 29, 2019

Kasuga went to jail in 2002. 18 yrs later, waiting 4 him in Kamurocho is the gun barrel of Masumi Arakawa (CV: Kiichi Nakai), who Kasuga owes his life. He manages to make his way to Yokohama. Saved by Nanba (Ken Yasuda), this is the story of Kasuga's rise https://t.co/kIodUkQoto

— Gematsu (@gematsu) August 29, 2019

Yakuza 7 uses an all-new turn-based command battle system. It includes returning elements like using your environment and objects to fight, and incorporates real-time physics. https://t.co/0LXY6zonRp

— Gematsu (@gematsu) August 29, 2019

Yakuza 7 will be playable at TGS 2019 (September 12 to 15). Press conference is over now so direct-feed media should be popping up shortly. We'll have our article up in due time. https://t.co/DGVH8mQaj3

— Gematsu (@gematsu) August 29, 2019

Ryu ga Gotoku Studio is busy working on the next Yakuza title, which will star Ichiban Kasuga as the protagonist. Today, publisher Sega confirmed who would be playing the main female co-star alongside Kasuga. It’s Eri Kamataki, selected from 10 finalists following an audition that attracted nearly 1,000 actors.

Sure, it’s not much by way of a big announcement. But series producer Toshihiro Nagaoshi did confirm that detailed information on the game would be revealed on August 29th. Given how close this is to the Tokyo Game Show in September, it wouldn’t be weird to see the first teaser trailer.

The next Yakuza title is currently in development for PS4. It could possibly release by March 2020 end, slotting neatly into Sega’s current fiscal year. We don’t know when it will be localized for the West but a PC release seems a given, especially since Yakuza is now considered a multiplatform franchise. Stay tuned for more details in August.

PS4『龍が如く 最新作』助演女優オーディション合格者発表会が終了。グランプリに輝いたのはエントリーNo. 7.鎌滝えりさん！　#龍が如く pic.twitter.com/dsJUdYpmvw

— ファミ通.com (@famitsu) July 10, 2019

If you’ve been hankering for more of Sega’s Yakuza, and the recent Judgment won’t be enough, more information on the next Yakuza title is coming soon. Recently, series producer Daisuke Sato spoke to Gamebase.com.tw at a launch event for Yakuza 5’s remaster on PS4. He stated that there would be more details, including an announcement of the supporting actress, on July 10^th.

Though the next Yakuza will have a new protagonist named Ichiban Kasuga, Sato was asked about whether Kazuma Kiryu, the protagonist of the previous titles, would also return. Sato said, “At this time, that is not a question I can answer. On July 10, we will announce the supporting actress for the new title, as well as share the latest information on the new title, so please look forward to it.”

Other details remain to be revealed, like how the series’ formula will be changed drastically, as series general director Toshihiro Nagoshi stated. However, Sega has provided some indication as to when the next game could release. In April’s financial report, it stated that the next Yakuza would release in the current fiscal year– so essentially by March 2020. Keep in mind that this could just be considering the Japanese release.

Then again, given the time taken to localize titles (Judgment released in December 2018 for Japan and is out tomorrow in the West), we might have not have wait all that long. Check out our review of Judgment on PS4 here in the meantime.

Sega recently announced a new Yakuza title for PS4, one that would star a new protagonist in the form of Kasuga Ichiban. While auditions are currently ongoing for one of the main characters, it’s perhaps interesting to note that Sega also has a rough estimated release window in mind. According to Sega in its recent financial report, the new Yakuza title could be out in the current fiscal year.

This means sometime between now and the end of March 2020. Keep in mind that this isn’t a guaranteed release window, but rather an estimate. You also have to consider that a Western release will take significantly more time, considering the localization required.

Yakuza fans won’t have to worry though. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is coming to PC on May 9th, while spin-off Judgment is still on track to release on June 25th for PS4. Interestingly, Judgment doesn’t seem to have any sequels in development, according to Sega. Stay tuned for more information regardless.

Over the years, Sega’s Yakuza series has garnered ample critical acclaim for its plot, combat, and side-quest design. Despite numerous evolutions to the gameplay, visuals, and writing, Sega chief creative officer and series general director Toshihiro Nagoshi wants to “change the game drastically” with the next title. It was already confirmed that the next Yakuza would be coming to PS4 and stars Ichiban Kasuga.

At the recent Sega Fes 2019’s Yakuza Fan Meeting (as per Games Talk), Nagoshi spoke about changes made in the past with other titles. “Given that the game is in the action adventure genre, I’d like to change the game drastically,” he said. “We’ve tried changing things in past titles, though our audiences often claimed it to be ‘minor changes.’ This time, we want our change to feel like an online game would become from version 1.0 to 2.0, not just another big patch. This process takes time.

“We released Judgment a little while ago, and that too was part of the experimentation for this change. The energy we’re pouring into this is on par with how hard we tried to make the first Yakuza. We’re looking forward to the day you can be surprised by that change.”

The new protagonist is being looked at as a positive sign for change, according to Nagoshi. “Switching the main character from Kiryu Kazuma to Kasuga Ichiban also was a good idea for this change,” he said. “If the personality differs, the objective changes- if the objective changes, the game itself changes. They speak differently, and they think and act differently.

“Changing the main character would open up new paths and help change the notion of ‘It’s a Yakuza game right? You just walk around a city right?’, that many have. We want to use this change of main characters in the best way possible. When it comes to the story, before we had many scene that we’re teary or made you and the main character infuriated at something. This time, we’re thinking about putting in more comedic and goofy scenes that connect into the end, which has an impact of the player’s emotions.”

The Yakuza series has been no stranger to more lighthearted and comedic elements, especially in its Substories. However, it’s managed to retain gravity and seriousness when it counted most, especially when Kiryu’s story came to a close in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. How different will Kasuga’s journey be in that regard? Time will tell.

Meanwhile, Sega is looking to release Judgment in North America and Europe on June 25th for PS4 as planned. A recent ESRB rating also indicates that a port of Yakuza Kiwami 2 is coming to PC. Stay tuned for more details on both in the coming months.

Kazuma Kiryu’s story may have been more or less wrapped up in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, but the series still continues. After the spin-off Judgment, Sega has announced that the next Yakuza title is in development for PS4. It will star Ichiban Kasuga, the protagonist of the previously announced Shin Ryu ga Gotoku.

Auditions have also been announced for the protagonist’s supporting partner. This will mark the first time that Sega is hosting open auditions for a main character’s role. Further details on the game are still pending, but we’ve known about Shin Ryu ga Gotoku for a while. It’s set in 2018 and sees former Arakama family member Ichiban Kasuga leaving prison to battle the combined might of the Omi Alliance and police.

It’s still early days for the new title to come to the West. Yakuza 5 will release for PS4 in Japan this June, and we’ve yet to receive details on when remasters for Yakuza 3 and 4 will also come stateside. Judgment was also slated to release in June for North America and Europe on PS4, but localization may be in doubt following actor Pierre Taki’s arrest.

Sega and the Yakuza team have announced a brand new Yakuza game, due for release some time in 2018. The new Yakuza game will be the first one to not star Kiryu, whose story finally came to an end in Yakuza 6, which will be launching in the west next year, exclusively for the PS4.

Sega have not announced much about the new Yakuza game- we don’t know an exact release date, an exact name, or even what platforms it is coming for. We do know the setting, however, as well as the fact that it follows the sixth game in the chronology, the general setup of the plot, and now, the hero and his name (40 year old Kasuga Ichiban).

That said, we did get a new trailer introducing us to the new protagonist, which you can see for yourself below. He has some big shoes to fill, following up Kiryu and all.

Sega also announced Yakuza Online, which will presumably be a Yakuza based MMO, which in turn is also due out in 2018- for PC, iOS, and Android. Both games will be set after the events of Yakuza 6. Hopefully we learn more about them come TGS.

Yakuza 6 finishes series protagonist Kiryu’s story, but the Yakuza series will continue nonetheless. This is something Sega has confirmed multiple times by now, actually- and now, next month, we may actually get to see what’s in store for the future of the Yakuza franchise.

The Yakuza development studio has announced that it will have a special event on August 26th at UDX Akihabara, where it will announce a brand new game. While it doesn’t have to be a new Yakuza game (they could well decide they want to try their hand at something new, after all), previous teases indicate that a new Yakuza game announcement is indeed coming.

A PS4 version of whatever the new game is is guaranteed- a Switch version may also be a possibility, given that Sega and the Yakuza studio have spoken about their desire to bring the series over to Nintendo’s platform. A PC version may also be in the mix, since Sega has discussed the possibility of moving Yakuza over to PC before. Whatever it is, we will keep you posted.

Yakuza 6 released earlier in Japan this year, ending the decade long running saga of Kiryu at last. However, the series itself has not ended- and there is something planned for its future. We know that future Yakuza games have been discussed previously by Sega (including during Nintendo’s Switch unveil event)- now, it seems that an announcement regarding the future of the series may be coming within the next two months.

In a livestream today, series Producer Toshihiro Nagosh teased that he will be announcing the plans for ‘the future’ of the Yakuza series within the next two months. This could, of course, be anything- but given how heavily a new game in the series has been discussed before, I don’t think it’s wrong to suppose that this will be referring to the next major entry in the series.

Meanwhile, if you are new to the franchise, and want to see what the fuss is about, Yakuza 0 released in the west earlier this year, and it is a fantastic game– maybe look into jumping into the franchise with that one.

https://youtu.be/J-vGvj8sFbg