It is clear that Like a Dragon 8 will foster a story which compliments both the older characters and values of the franchise with the newer faces of more contemporary games. With this in mind, it would be remiss if Ryu Ga Gotoku did not somehow involve the legendary, fan-favorite character of Goro Majima.
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The Basics of Like a Dragon 8
Like a Dragon 8 is billed for a 2024 release date, and will directly continue on from the story of 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon, as many fans predicted. As confirmed at the recent Ryu Ga Gotoku Summit, the upcoming title will boldly feature both Kiryu Kazuma and Ichiban Kasuga in dual protagonist roles, marking a continued importance regarding the many older titles of the storied franchise.
With the newly introduced face of the franchise Ichiban Kasuga reportedly taking a marginally more dominant protagonist role in the title, it can be assumed that the game will largely feature the same intriguing cast of supporting characters that made Yakuza: Like a Dragon so endearing and memorable. It can also be inferred from this that the game will likely implement a blend of the ambitious new turn-based RPG elements of gameplay that Ichiban fosters, as well as the more classic brawler gameplay that the franchise long enjoyed via Kiryu.
If the game is to feature the same supporting characters from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, then it only seems sensible that the title also includes character call-backs to the litany of figures that fought with and alongside Kiryu over the course of the seven mainline titles in which he was a protagonist. Of all these characters, none are quite so highly regarded by fans as long-time franchise character Goro Majima.
How Goro Majima Could Fit Into Like a Dragon 8
Goro Majima is one of the most important characters across the entirety of the Like a Dragon franchise. Featuring heavily across most mainline titles and spin-off games, and even being a dual protagonist in the critically acclaimed Yakuza 0, not many characters hold quite as much prestige and on-screen presence as Majima.
Majima is perhaps best known for his chemistry with main franchise protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, with the two enigmatic figures sharing an unidentifiable bond that has seen them cross paths as both friends and foes across four decades. In this way, it makes even more sense that Majima should feature in Like a Dragon 8, given the comprehensive role that Kiryu is set to play in the upcoming game.
While Majima did feature in 2020’s Like a Dragon, it was a fairly small role, with him and several other longstanding elite franchise figures stating their desires to open up a legitimate security firm in Sotenbori, a secondary franchise location away from the reported Kamarucho setting of Like a Dragon 8. That being said, there is still great reason for Majima to appear in the upcoming game, with the figures of the franchise often being pulled back into the criminal underworld out of necessity, often to aid their closest friends. Should Majima appear in Like a Dragon 8, it is clear that fans would be delighted to get another glimpse of such a beloved character, just as they were with the news of Kiryu’s involvement in the title.
Like a Dragon 8 will release in 2024 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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