Update: During the Summer Game Fest 2023 presentation, official details on Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name were revealed. It confirmed all of the information from the leak, so the original story has been unaltered. You can check out a new trailer below.
Ahead of next week’s stream from developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios, potential information about Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name has seemingly leaked from PlayStation Store tracker website PSDeals. While we knew the game would launch on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, it appears the release date will be November 9, 2023, according to the leak. The page also provides a possible story synopsis that sets the stage for series protagonist Kiryu Kazuma’s side story.
According to the PS Store description, Kiryu is under the assumed name “Joryu” and is fighting to protect his new identity after a mysterious figure attempts to draw him out of hiding. The game will feature two fighting styles (increased from the single one featured in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life), with the second style being dubbed “Agent.” I suppose Joryu is a special operative or something, which explains Kiryu’s new look in some of the leaked screenshots.
Most of the information in the Like a Dragon Gaiden leak mirrors that of past Yakuza/Like a Dragon games. There will be substories, mini-games, karaoke, and the return of the Pocket Racer circuit. Interestingly, this title will not take place in Kamurocho, the series’ most common and recognizable locale. Instead, it will be split across Sotenbori, Yokohama (which debuted in Yakuza: Like a Dragon), and a new area called “Castle.”
With Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name launching on last-gen consoles, it’s not a surprise that a free upgrade to current-gen platforms may be offered (again: the leak hasn’t been confirmed). While the store description only mentions PS4-to-PS5, we can reasonably expect Smart Delivery functionality on Xbox platforms. Unlike Like a Dragon: Ishin, disc copies of The Man Who Erased His Name will also allegedly receive a free upgrade.
Again, all of this information from the Like a Dragon Gaiden leak should be taken with a grain of salt until officially confirmed by Sega and RGG Studios. We’ll have our confirmation next week when the RGG Summit stream happens on June 15, 2023.
