Today Sega released an interesting video showcasing the beginning of the development of the next mainline game of the Like a Dragon (previously known as Yakuza) series, Like a Dragon 8.
We hear that the studio has been undergoing a generational shift and out of those who have made the original Yakuza only about ten developers remain. Some have joined with Yakuza 2. Others played the original game while they were in elementary school, while some developers have become interested in the series while watching their parents play the games
That being said, the developers mention that it'll be for the players to identify whether something has changed due to this generational shift, and the team feels the responsibility to create excellent work to show that they are not cutting corners. They're "fired up and ready to go as ever."
The work on the new game started on December 2021, and we get to see bits of motion capture. We also get some hints about the story, with Kasuga Ichiban leaving Hello Work due to rumors spreading about him, and having to deal with his feelings.
It's worth mentioning that the completed scenes we see are actually from Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Like a Dragon 7).
In January 2022 the studio started working on the voiceovers for Like a Dragon 8, and again, we get to hear some interesting tidbits alongside commentary from the developers Ichiban Kasuga's actor Kazuhiro Nakaya. We also get to see how studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama directs the sessions himself.
At the end of the video, there's a preview of the next episode which will see the return of Takaya Kuroda, the historical voice of Kazuma Kiryu, who shares the position of protagonist with Ichiban Kasuga in Like a Dragon 8.
You can watch it below.
Like a Dragon 8 is slated for release in 2024 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, following Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man who Erased his Name later this year.
In the meanwhile, Like a Dragon: Ishin! releases officially today for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC, albeit early access has been available for a few days. You can read our review.
