It’s been almost 20 years since the saga debuted Yakuzacurrently known as Like a DragonOver the course of almost two decades, its popularity has not stopped growing, which has allowed it to open up to more markets around the world so that more players can enjoy these action titles, regardless of whether they correspond to the main series or its spin-offs.
If we look at all of them, at some point the setting, the main characters, some mechanics and other details have been modified. However, there is one aspect in particular that has always been respected and maintained, which remains the same since its origins and looks like it will continue to be so, no matter how much time passes. It is the fact that the franchise It tells and focuses on the stories of middle-aged boys.
This is what the director of the saga, Ryosyke Horii, and the main planner, Hirotaka Chiba, have admitted in an interview given to Automaton. In it they have stated that as much as the series has evolved to date, that is still the most fundamental pillar which is why they are convinced it is so attractive and attracts so many players.
I think that’s one of Like a Dragon’s strong points. For example, in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, it all starts with three unemployed middle-aged men. They have a different air than a group of young heroes would have, complaining about back pain and things like that. But this humanity that you feel because of their age is what gives the game its originality.
The characters are real human beings, very similar to our players, so their problems are relatable. That’s why it’s really easy to get into the game and feel like you’re listening to conversations between ordinary people.
Both are convinced that this naturalness is what has won over so many players and the main reason why more and more people are encouraged to give the franchise a chance. In addition, it does not mean that these users are the same age as the protagonists, since the team believes that There are many young people and women who share this same hobby.
However, for Horii it is not a problem that the type of audience is increasingly different, because that will not influence the development at any time:
We have had a huge increase in new fans, including female fans, which we are very happy and grateful for. However, we do not plan to do anything to deliberately change the topics of conversation in order to please new fans.
Our policy as creators has not changed. We are very grateful for the recognition we have received from overseas fans and new, younger gamers, but we will not change our policy of creating video games, which is based on our personal ideas of what is fun.
The latest installment to hit stores was Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, whose quality has made it what many consider to be the best chapter in the entire saga and One of the biggest games of 2024On the other hand, we must not forget that a live-action series is also in the works and will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on October 24.
At iGamesNews | All Yakuza games: from the classics to Like A Dragon: Ishin!, including the crazy spin-offs
