Yakuza developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has revealed that it's working on a new franchise outside of its established Yakuza and Judgment titles. We're not yet sure what the franchise is or whether it'll be set in the same world as the aforementioned games, however.
What do we know about the new Ryu Ga Gotoku franchise?
This news comes via VGC, which is in turn using a transcription courtesy of ryokutya (note: the latter is entirely in Japanese). In an interview with Japanese news platform Famitsu, Ryu Ga Gotoku director Masayoshi Yokoyama confirmed the studio is working on "unannounced titles" separate to the Yakuza and Judgment games. Unfortunately, we don't have any information regarding these titles yet. We do know, though, that they're not referring to the confirmed sequel to the excellent Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
So, what could Ryu Ga Gotoku's new franchise be? We're firmly into the realms of speculation here, but the studio doesn't say it's moved away from the shared universe of Yakuza and Judgment as a whole. We could be getting a look at another part of the world that gave us Kamurocho, Isezaki Ijincho, and so many other iconic Yakuza and Judgment locations. We'll have to wait and see what RGG has in store for us, but rest assured we'll bring you more on that as soon as we get it.
What's in store for Ryu Ga Gotoku's flagship franchises?
While Yakuza: Like a Dragon is getting a sequel (that will once again star new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga), the future of RGG's other franchise Judgment is in doubt. According to industry sources, both Judgment and Lost Judgment won't be getting PC releases, and a potential third instalment in the franchise has been cancelled, all thanks to a dispute with lead actor Takuya Kimura's talent agency. Luckily, we've heard nothing to suggest that upcoming major DLC pack The Kaito Files isn't still on track for its spring 2022 release. In the Famitsu interview, Yokoyama says the studio will "cherish" Judgment as a series. It's not entirely clear what that means, but it's certainly not confirmation of any new games or Steam releases.
We'll bring you more on this potential new Ryu Ga Gotoku franchise as soon as we get it. In the meantime, you can grab Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the latest entry in the long-running Yakuza series, right now on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Judgment and its sequel Lost Judgment are both available on PlayStation and Xbox consoles as well. We don't have a release window for the new RGG franchise yet, obviously, so you've got plenty of time to catch up on the latest instalments in both sagas.
What would you like the new Ryu Ga Gotoku franchise to be? Let us know in the comments below!
