Yakuza (franchise)

Yakuza/Like a Dragon
Original international logo (top); and original Japanese logo (bottom)
Genre(s)	Action-adventure, beat 'em up, role-playing
Developer(s)	Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio New Entertainment R&D Dept. Syn Sophia
Publisher(s)	Sega EU: Deep Silver
Creator(s)	Toshihiro Nagoshi
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 PlayStation Portable Wii U PlayStation 4 Android iOS Windows Xbox One Xbox Series X/S PlayStation 5 Stadia
First release	Yakuza December 8, 2005
Latest release	Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth January 26, 2024

Yakuza, known in Japan as Ryū ga Gotoku^[a] and also known as Like a Dragon in recent series entries to align with its Japanese name,^[1] is a video game franchise created, owned and published by Sega. It incorporates elements of the action-adventure, beat 'em up, and role-playing genres.

Each installment is typically a crime drama, with plot lines inspired by yakuza films and pre-millennial Japanese crime dramas. The most frequently featured protagonist is Kazuma Kiryu, a reformed yakuza associated with the Kanto-based Tojo Clan. While Kiryu often finds himself working with the leaders of the Tojo Clan to thwart conspiracies aimed against them, the primary theme of the series is his desire to leave the yakuza for good and start over by raising orphans and trying to assimilate into civilian life. The gameplay of Yakuza / Like a Dragon has the player controlling Kiryu (or another character, depending on the title) in an open world where he can fight random groups of punks and gangsters, take on side missions and activities to earn experience and money, learn new moves from non-player characters (NPCs), eat and drink at various restaurants, visit hostess and cabaret clubs, craft items, and engage in a variety of mini games such as golfing, bowling, batting cages, video arcades, karaoke, and gambling games including poker, blackjack, Cee-lo, and Koi-Koi.

The franchise has become a commercial and critical success, and as of 2023, Sega has reported that the video game series has sold a combined total of 21.3 million units in physical and digital sales since its debut in 2005.^[2] Strong sales of the games in its original Japanese market has led to the franchise's expansion to other media, including film adaptations. A television series based on Yakuza is slated to be released on Prime Video in October 2024.

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