The director of the upcomingLike a Dragon 8will have the fan-favorite Goro Majima in the game, though there is a slight catch to his appearance.Like a Dragon 8is the sequel to the seventh mainline game in the franchise, following Ichiban Kasuga’s misadventures inYakuza: Like a Dragon. Alongside Ichiban as the game’s protagonist, a returning Kazuma Kiryu will also be playable, where he will have his own set of party members with the same JRPG mechanics of its predecessor. This may get some fans wondering which characters will be involved in the adventure, along with what party members will be present for the two heroes.
Ichiban Kasuga’s party seems to be comprised of familiarYakuza: Like a Dragonparty membersSaeko, Nanba, and Adachi, as seen in a brief showcase of cutscene clips fromLike a Dragon 8. Kiryu’s party members on the other hand are still a bit of a mystery, as they could be all-new characters created for the game, or a number of legacy characters like Goro Majima, Shun Akiyama, or even Taiga Saejima, just to name a few possibilities. Goro Majima is slated to at least make a return in the upcoming JRPG, according to both the game’s director, Masayoshi Yokoyama, and Majima’s voice actor, Hidenari Ugaki.
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This was confirmed in a recent marathon stream of severalLike a Dragongames in the Kiryu saga, fromYakuza 0all the way toYakuza 6. A segment of the stream had a sit-down interview between Yokoyama and Ugaki, where they discuss Majima’s character (translated by Dragon Enterprise). It starts with Yokoyama’s discussing at hissurprise at Majima’s popularity, where he even notes his confusion at the character’s “legendary” status. Yokoyama then confirms that Majima’s popularity is why the character will be making an appearance inLike a Dragon 8, much to Ugaki’s excitement.
Yokoyama then tempers fan expectations regardingMajima’s role inLike a Dragon 8, where he confirms he won’t be playing a major role in the game’s story. Ugaki then asked how much he is allowed to say regarding his appearance, with Yokoyama confirming that Majima will not be a part of the main cast, as according to the translation, he was a late addition into the game. This means players shouldn’t expect to see Majima as a playable party member inLike a Dragon 8and will have some reduced screentime.
Some fans are split on this decision, especially with a character who is one of the most popular of the entire lineup. Withinthe main story forLike a Dragon 8, this means that Majima is likely have fewer appearances like inYakuza 5and6, which some find to be a waste. Others are hoping this reduced role will have him still doing something important, and isn’t just included for fanservice.
Like a Dragon 8will release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2024.
