Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a decent bit longer than previous Yakuza spin-off Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has said.
In an interview with Famitsu translated by Game Rant, series producer and RGG Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama said the incoming pirate adventure's story is roughly 1.3 times to 1.5 times longer than Like a Dragon Gaiden.
This last game, which arrived just a few weeks ahead of the colossal mainline entry Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, could be completed in around 12 hours if players ploughed through the main story, though completing everything took upwards of 32 hours, according to How Long to Beat.
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Based on this, Masayoshi estimates the story of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will take around 15 to 18 hours to complete. This appears to be reflected in the price, as Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will be available for $59.99 compared to Like a Dragon Gaiden's $49.99 and the standard video game price point of $69.99.
Perhaps the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series' wackiest spin-off yet (besides the zombie apocalypse one), Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii stars Goro Majima as he wakes up on a beach with amnesia and becomes a pirate, obviously.
It's a spin-off to Infinite Wealth in particular, taking place roughly six months after its story concluded but not starring too many of the same characters. Only Majima's sworn brother Taiga Saejima is confirmed to return so far, as the game largely focuses on a new cast of pirates including a Tiger played by main game protagonist Ichiban Kasuga's voice actor.
Trailers and gameplay shown so far shows more of the flashy and fast-paced action the series was known for before switching to a turn based role-playing game with Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Plenty of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag vibes are present too, as the game features ship combat, pirate hideouts, and plenty of brutal action.
It was revealed in September with a February 28 release date but, after Monster Hunter Wilds announced the same launch date just five days later, RGG Studio shifted its own up a week. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii therefore now launches on February 21, 2025.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.