Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has confirmed that Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will be the longest game in the Yakuza series so far.
Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama revealed in a recent interview with Game Watch (translated by Automaton Media) that the upcoming RPG is the longest game in the series, calling it a "monster-class game" that won't be completed by players in a couple of nights.
"The games take a long time to clear, don’t they?" Yokoyama said. "Gaiden not so much, but Infinite Wealth is a monster-class game longer than anything we’ve made so far. If you go at it continuously, you’ll get sick, and it won’t end with just one or two all-nighters.
"This means that a lot of people are going to hesitate to play the game or will end up having it wait on their shelves. I found the possibility of that kind of outcome sad, so I thought, we have to get everyone hyped up enough to play it."
Continuing, Yokoyama talked about the chance of players feeling overwhelmed but said that it's the job of creators to spin excitement around the game to get them to play.
"We have to get people to play the game in about a week or a month, even at the cost of their health, which is why it’s our duty as creators to generate enough to be excited about. I've thought this way for the past year or two – for a game like Infinite Wealth, we have to get a festival going on. It would feel kind of rude to just drop such a long game and be done with it," Yokoyama added.
It takes around 45-50 hours to complete 2020's Yakuza: Like a Dragon's main story, so players should expect Infinite Wealth to be a time sink, especially if they're completionists.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is scheduled to arrive on January 26, 2024, for PS5 Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio just released Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which we gave four out of five stars in our review, with James Daly calling it "a compelling title full of engaging combat, welcome distractions, and an intense, emotional story. While a bit short, it’s a must-play for Yakuza fans."
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