Originally launched as a PlayStation 2 title in 2005, Yakuza (known as Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan) has evolved into a cherished video game franchise. This series delves into the intricate world of yakuza families set in the fictional Tokyo neighborhood of Kamurocho. In 2022, the series was rebranded to Like a Dragon, reflecting its original Japanese title.
The Yakuza games are renowned for their blend of action, melodrama, cinematic flair, and humor. Skipping the side quests means missing out on a significant part of the games' charm. It took years for the franchise to gain the international acclaim it now enjoys, bolstered by a steady stream of localized re-releases, spin-offs, and new titles. The latest addition to the series is the Majima-centric spin-off, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, set in Honolulu.
The Yakuza Games In (Chronological) Order
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How Many Yakuza/Like a Dragon Games Are There?
Since its debut in 2005, Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have released nine mainline Yakuza/Like a Dragon games, two remakes – Yakuza Kiwami (2016) and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017), with a third on the horizon – and 11 spin-offs. Initially exclusive to PlayStation, these games have been ported to Xbox and PC, with all new releases since Yakuza: Like a Dragon being multi-platform, except for Nintendo Switch. However, Yakuza Kiwami became the first Like a Dragon game to be ported to the Switch in October 2024, as announced in the August 2024 Nintendo Direct.
In addition to the mainline games, Like a Dragon boasts a variety of spin-offs. Kurohyō: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinsho (2010) and its sequel Kurohyō 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Ashura Hen (2012) are exclusive to the PlayStation Portable and feature a new character, Tatsuya Ukyo. Judgment (2018) and Lost Judgment (2021) introduce lawyer-turned-detective Takayuki Yagami, who investigates murders in Kamurocho with ties to the Tojo Clan.
Other notable spin-offs include the zombie-themed Yakuza: Dead Souls (2011), the free-to-play TCG Yakuza Online (2018), and Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (2018), which adapts the popular Japanese series into the Yakuza gameplay style. Historical spin-offs like Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! (2008) and Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! (2014), the latter released in the West as Like a Dragon: Ishin! in 2023, feature historical figures as protagonists.
In 2023, RGG released Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name, which runs parallel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon and explores Kiryu's fate post-Yakuza 6. The most recent spin-off, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, follows Goro Majima as an amnesiac protagonist in Honolulu, set six months after Infinite Wealth.
Which Yakuza Game Should You Play First?
For newcomers, starting with Yakuza 0 or jumping straight to Yakuza: Like a Dragon offers a fresh entry point into the series.
Yakuza Kiwami
Yakuza Kiwami provides a familiar experience for those who started with Yakuza 0, featuring refined controls, excellent localization by SEGA, and a solid entry point into the franchise.
Mainline Yakuza/Like a Dragon Games in Chronological Order:
- Yakuza 0
- Yakuza / Yakuza Kiwami
- Yakuza 2 / Yakuza Kiwami 2
- Yakuza 3
- Yakuza 4
- Yakuza 5
- Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Beware: Mild spoilers for the plots, characters, and some major events of each game follow.
1. Yakuza 0 (2014)
Despite being the sixth game released, Yakuza 0 is the first in the chronological timeline. Set during Japan's economic boom in the late 1980s, it follows two protagonists: Kazuma Kiryu, a young member of the Dojima family framed for murder, and Goro Majima, a former Shimano family member working in a cabaret. Both are entangled in the battle for control over the Empty Lot, a crucial piece of land. By the game's end, Kiryu returns to the Dojima family, Majima spares Makoto, the true owner of the lot, and the Millennium Tower is built on the site.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC | IGN’s Yakuza 0 Review
2. Yakuza (2005) / Yakuza Kiwami (2016)
The original Yakuza game follows Kazuma Kiryu after he serves a 10-year prison sentence for a murder he didn't commit. Upon release, he's expelled from the Tojo Clan, and must navigate a complex web of betrayal and intrigue involving a missing ¥10 billion and the disappearance of his friend Yumi. Kiryu adopts Haruka and eventually steps down from the yakuza life.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (Yakuza Kiwami), PS2 | IGN’s Yakuza Review | Yakuza Kiwami Review
3. Yakuza 2 (2006) / Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017)
Yakuza 2 sees Kiryu helping the Tojo Clan avoid war with the Omi Alliance. After an ambush, he searches for Daigo Dojima to lead the clan, while facing off against Ryuji Goda and uncovering the truth about detective Kaoru Sayama's missing parents.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (Yakuza Kiwami 2), PS3 | IGN’s Yakuza 2 Review | Yakuza Kiwami 2 Review
4. Yakuza 3 (2009)
In Yakuza 3, Kiryu tries to lead a peaceful life running the Morning Glory Orphanage in Okinawa. However, he's drawn back into the yakuza world due to new threats involving assassinations, arms smuggling, and even the CIA.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (The Yakuza Remastered Collection), PS3 | IGN’s Yakuza 3 Review
5. Yakuza 4 (2010)
Yakuza 4 expands the narrative with four protagonists: Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, Taiga Saejima, and Masayoshi Tanimura. Their stories intertwine as they navigate conflicts between the Tojo Clan and the Ueno Seiwa Clan, uncovering deep-seated betrayals and secrets.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (The Yakuza Remastered Collection), PS3 | IGN’s Yakuza 4 Review
6. Yakuza 5 (2012)
Yakuza 5 introduces five protagonists, each with their own storyline. Kiryu, now in Fukuoka, must deal with the missing Daigo and the fragile peace between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance. Other characters include Saejima, Haruka, Akiyama, and new face Tatsuo Shinada, whose stories converge to reveal a larger conspiracy.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (The Yakuza Remastered Collection), PS3 | IGN’s Yakuza 5 Review
7. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016)
In Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Kiryu's final chapter begins after a three-year prison stint. He returns to find Haruka in a coma and learns about her son, Haruto. Kiryu's investigation leads him to Onomichi, Hiroshima, where he uncovers the truth behind Haruka's accident and the power struggles in Kamurocho.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC | IGN’s Yakuza 6: The Song of Life Review
8. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020)
A pivotal entry, Yakuza: Like a Dragon introduces Ichiban Kasuga and a turn-based combat system. After serving 18 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Kasuga returns to a changed yakuza world. His journey takes him from Yokohama to Osaka and back to Kamurocho, uncovering the truth behind his former patriarch's betrayal.
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S|X, Xbox One, PC | IGN’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review
9. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (2024)
The largest Like a Dragon game to date, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth unites Kiryu and Kasuga in a dual-protagonist story spanning Japan and Hawaii. Kasuga's quest to find his mother intertwines with Kiryu's battle against cancer and a complex web of international crime and intrigue.
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, PC | IGN's Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Review
All of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon Games and Spin-Offs in Release Order
Mainline Yakuza games are marked in bold with an asterisk.
- 1. Yakuza (2005) / Yakuza Kiwami (2016)*
- 2. Yakuza 2 (2006) / Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017)*
- 3. Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan! (2008)
- 4. Yakuza 3 (2009)*
- 5. Yakuza 4 (2010)*
- 6. Kurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Shinshō (2010)
- 7. Yakuza: Dead Souls (2011)
- 8. Kurohyō 2: Ryū ga Gotoku Ashura Hen (2012)
- 9. Yakuza 5 (2012)*
- 10. Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin! (2014) / Like a Dragon: Ishin! (2023)
- 11. Yakuza 0 (2015)*
- 12. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016)*
- 13. Yakuza Online (2018)
- 14. Judgment (2018)
- 15. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020)*
- 16. Lost Judgment (2021)
- 18. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (2023)
- 19. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (2024)*
- 20. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (2025)
What’s Next for Yakuza/Like a Dragon?
The Like a Dragon saga continues to evolve. While Infinite Wealth concluded its narrative, it left room for future developments. The franchise's success, highlighted by Infinite Wealth's record-breaking sales, suggests more mainline and spin-off games are on the horizon. RGG Studio has also announced projects like the revival of Virtua Fighter and a new open-world game, "Project Century," but details on the next Like a Dragon installment remain under wraps.
For those interested in other video game timelines, explore these guides:
- Grand Theft Auto Games in Order
- God of War Games in Order
- Assassin's Creed Games in Order
- Resident Evil Games in Order
