First images of the next Yakuza game have appeared online

Images which appear to be from the next Yakuza game have appeared online.

As spotted by Famitsu, a video posted by MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura during which he takes a tour through the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has shown several stills from the next game in the series.

The tour is conducted by Sega President Haruki Satomi, who shows Asakura around the offices. Asakura is a big fan of the Yakuza series, hence the tour. However, it’s unlikely that the fighter was aware that he was leaking confidential information in this video.

A sequel to Yakuza: Like A Dragon has already been confirmed, so it’s possible that this footage is from that game, and not Yakuza 8.

Adding to this is that one of the screenshots is of Ichiban Kasuga, the protagonist of Yakuza: Like A Dragon. However, it is possible that the character simply appears in the new game.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio also confirmed that it’s working on a game outside of the Yakuza or Judgement franchises. 

Further reading

Yakuza 0, Kiwami and Kiwami 2 have seemingly been added to Game Pass again

The three Yakuza titles were removed from the service in December 2021

It’s possible that the Judgement franchise will be forced to come to an end after an alleged dispute with lead actor Takuya Kimura’s talent agency.

In July, Japanese showbiz news site Nikkan Taishu claimed that sources had indicated that actor Takuya Kimura’s talent agency had been blocking PC versions of games in the Judgment series because they didn’t want him to appear in them.

The report claims that Sega has been trying to bring Judgment and Lost Judgment to Steam, but because the agency is blocking this from happening it may draw a line under the series after Lost Judgment.