Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth marks a turning point for the beloved Yakuza series, venturing beyond its Japanese roots for the first time to the sunny shores of Hawaii. Chief producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto recently sat down with The Gamer to unpack the reasoning behind this bold move. While the series’ growing international popularity likely played a role, Sakamoto emphasized the story dictated the setting.
According to the interview, Kasuga Ichiban’s mother finding a place to hide was the most important concern. Hawaii, with its significant Japanese population, fits the bill perfectly. Alternative locations like Bali were briefly considered but ultimately served as placeholders until the team could solidify Hawaii as the ideal backdrop. Sakamoto admitted that they weren’t very serious about pursuing those other options.
Hawaii’s influence extends beyond narrative, shaping gameplay elements like the “Crazy Delivery” minigame inspired by the island’s wide roads and Uber Eats prevalence. Segways, chosen for traversing Honolulu’s expansive map, even sparked a playful comparison with Final Fantasy 7’s Cloud, which rides one in the recent trailer.
However, Sakamoto clarifies that the shift abroad was more than just driven by international appeal. Their focus is always on the story with every game they release; they don’t think about the next game. If Hawaii best served the narrative, that’s where the team would go. The team decided on Hawaii because of its large Japanese population and because it was the only real option to tell the story they wanted to tell.
“With every iteration of every game that we release, we don’t really think about the next game. Everything hinges on the story. If the game taking place outside of Japan will enhance that story and make it fun, then we’ll definitely go that route. It all depends on what the story is [and the] narrative we want to tell. Every time, we just reset it and say, ‘okay, what’s the story going to be like?’, and then [consider] what the location is going to be to facilitate that storytelling.”
Hiroyuki Sakamoto
This focus on storytelling continues with Infinite Wealth’s emotional core. Fans can expect Kiryu to confront cancer and navigate his bucket list alongside Ichiban. Sakamoto assures players that despite the heavy themes, hope and excitement remain central to the experience, reflecting Kiryu’s resilience.
Dondoko Island, offering a relaxing escape from the main story, provides players with island cleanup, resource gathering, crafting, and even bug and fish collecting. While Animal Crossing’s influence is acknowledged, the core focus lies in engaging with Hawaiian nature and wildlife, fitting neatly with Ichiban’s character.
Sakamoto confirmed that Sega retro games return, with arcade-exclusive Spike Out making its console debut. However, licensing hurdles and technical limitations restrict the team’s retro library choices. So, even outside of Japan, we’ll see our Sega games.
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