Originally launched as a PlayStation 2 exclusive in 2005, Yakuza (known as Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan) has evolved into a cherished and extensive video game series. This saga unfolds within the fictional Kamurocho district of Tokyo, weaving tales of yakuza family dynamics and rivalries. In 2022, the series was rebranded to Like a Dragon, reflecting its Japanese title.
The Yakuza games are renowned for their unique blend of action, melodrama, cinematic storytelling, and humor, especially highlighted in the side quests which add a layer of levity and depth to the experience. While it took time for the series to gain international acclaim, its reputation has soared with a consistent release of localized versions, remakes, and spinoffs. The latest addition, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, features the fan-favorite Goro Majima navigating a new life in Honolulu.
The Yakuza Games In (Chronological) Order
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How Many Yakuza/Like a Dragon Games Are There?
Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have enriched the franchise with nine mainline Yakuza/Like a Dragon games, two remakes – Yakuza Kiwami (2016) and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017) – and a third promised in the future, alongside 11 spin-offs since the series' inception in 2005. Originally exclusive to PlayStation, the series has expanded to Xbox and PC platforms. New releases since Yakuza: Like a Dragon have been multi-platform, excluding the Nintendo Switch until Yakuza Kiwami's port in October 2024, as announced in the August 2024 Nintendo Direct.
Alongside the mainline entries, Like a Dragon boasts a diverse array of spinoffs. **Kurohyō: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinsho** (2010) and its sequel **Kurohyō 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Ashura Hen** (2012) on the PlayStation Portable introduce a new protagonist, Tatsuya Ukyo. **Judgment** (2018) and **Lost Judgment** (2021) follow lawyer-turned-detective Takayuki Yagami as he unravels mysteries in Kamurocho, occasionally intersecting with the main series' characters.Yakuza: Dead Souls (2011) plunges the classic cast into a zombie apocalypse, while Yakuza Online (2018) offers a free-to-play TCG experience on mobile and PC, featuring Ichiban Kasuga before his mainline debut. Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (2018) adapts the popular Japanese series into the Yakuza mold, borrowing gameplay elements from Kiryu's adventures.
Two spinoffs delve into historical Japan: Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! (2008) and Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! (2014), the latter of which was localized as Like a Dragon: Ishin! in 2023.
Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name (2023) bridges the narrative gap between Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, detailing Kiryu's activities post-Yakuza 6. The most recent addition, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (2025), stars Goro Majima as an amnesiac protagonist in Honolulu, set after the events of Infinite Wealth.
Which Yakuza Game Should You Play First?
For newcomers eager to dive into this expansive saga, starting with Yakuza 0 offers a chronological entry point, or alternatively, Yakuza: Like a Dragon provides a fresh start with a new protagonist and gameplay mechanics.
### Yakuza Kiwami
0Newcomers or fans who began with Yakuza 0 will find familiar, precise controls, excellent SEGA localization, and an ideal starting point for the Yakuza franchise. See it at AmazonMainline 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)
Although the sixth game released, Yakuza 0 is the chronological start of the series. Set during Japan's economic boom in the late 1980s, it follows two protagonists: a young Kazuma Kiryu, framed for a murder at the Empty Lot, and Goro Majima, tasked with killing a blind woman named Makoto, who holds the key to the Empty Lot's ownership. The game concludes with Kiryu returning to the Dojima family, Majima allowing Makoto to live, and the destruction of the Empty Lot, leading to the construction of the Millennium Tower.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC | IGN’s Yakuza 0 Review
2. Yakuza (2005) / Yakuza Kiwami (2016)
In the first Yakuza game, Kazuma Kiryu emerges from a decade in prison after taking the fall for his boss's murder, only to find himself expelled from the Tojo Clan, with ¥10 billion missing and his friend Yumi vanished. Amidst these challenges, he encounters Haruka, whose pendant is linked to the missing money. Kiryu's journey leads him to confront his best friend, Nishikiyama, and ultimately, he rejects the role of Fourth Chairman to raise Haruka as his adopted daughter.
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 assisting the Tojo Clan's Fifth Chairman, Terada, in preventing war with the Omi Alliance. After Terada's apparent death, Kiryu supports Daigo Dojima as the new chairman, navigating tensions with the Omi's Ryuji Goda and aiding detective Kaoru Sayama in uncovering her parents' fate.
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 seeks a peaceful life running the Morning Glory Orphanage in Okinawa, but his past catches up with him. He faces new threats from yakuza families, assassination plots, and even the CIA, drawing him back into the fray.
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, loan shark Shun Akiyama, escaped convict Taiga Saejima, and detective Masayoshi Tanimura. Their intertwined stories explore the conflicts between the Tojo Clan and the Ueno Seiwa Clan, culminating in Kiryu's efforts to resolve the ongoing disputes.
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 across different locales, each facing unique challenges. Kiryu searches for the missing Daigo, Saejima escapes prison once more, Haruka pursues a career as a J-pop idol, Akiyama investigates a suspicious death, and new character Tatsuo Shinada seeks to clear his name in baseball.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (The Yakuza Remastered Collection), PS3 | IGN’s Yakuza 5 Review
7. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016)
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life marks Kiryu's final chapter, as he returns to Kamurocho after a three-year prison stint. Discovering Haruka in a coma and her son Haruto, Kiryu investigates the circumstances in Onomichi, Hiroshima, while rival factions vie for control in Kamurocho.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC | IGN’s Yakuza 6: The Song of Life Review
8. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020)
Marking a significant shift, Yakuza: Like a Dragon introduces Ichiban Kasuga and a turn-based combat system. Released after serving 18 years for a crime he didn't commit, Kasuga discovers the Tojo Clan's downfall and embarks on a quest for truth, forming a new party to navigate the criminal underworld of Yokohama.
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)
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth reunites Kiryu and Kasuga in a global adventure spanning Japan and Hawaii. Set in 2024, Kasuga's quest to find his mother intertwines with Kiryu's battle against cancer and the machinations of various international factions, creating a sprawling narrative filled with intrigue and drama.
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, PC | IGN's Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Review
All of the 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)
