Like a Dragon Fans Buzz as Sega Trademarks Yakuza Wars [IGN]

The trademark was filed in Japan on July 26, 2024 but only made public today, August 5, as spotted by X/Twitter user Wario64. Like a Dragon developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is revealing its next game sometime between September 26 and September 29 at Tokyo Game Show, with many fans now believing Yakuza Wars to be it.

The trademark reveals nothing beyond the name though, not even if Yakuza Wars is a video game property.

Yakuza Wars trademark filed by SEGA https://t.co/2r8S3lSKNE pic.twitter.com/0VD4pVh4Ry

— Wario64 (@Wario64) August 5, 2024

Fans have still run away with the prospect, of course, with Bestgamer on Reddit even discussing its potential as a collaboration between the Like a Dragon series and another Sega franchise Sakura Wars.

“If it is, that would be totally mind blowing,” they said. Sakura Wars combines role-playing and dating simulator gameplay in a steam punk version of early 20th century Japan where demons are invading, obviously.

Others theorised Yakuza Wars sounds like a mobile or real time strategy game title, the latter of which RGG Studio has explored before through the Majima Construction minigame in Yakuza Kiwami 2.

The next Like a Dragon game really could be anything though. RGG Studio has already said fans will be “surprised” by the reveal, and confirmed it won’t be Yakuza Kiwami 3, a remake of the third game following on from Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2.

Like a Dragon has many other offshoots too, so a reveal of the ninth (technically 10th thanks to prequel Yakuza 0) mainline game isn’t the only option.

RGG Studio has previously referred to spin-off Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name as the “first” Gaiden game, for example, and it could even remake PlayStation Portable and Japanese-only games Kurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Shinshō for modern platforms like it did with Like a Dragon: Ishin in 2023.

Full spin-off Judgement is waiting in the wings too, as this still action heavy but more murder mystery, detective focused series hasn’t seen a new entry since Lost Judgement in 2021.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.