Yakuza will remain a turn-based series going forward

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The punch-ups will be reserved for detective spin-off Judgement.

SEGA
(Image credit: Sega)

Did you enjoy Yakuza: Like a Dragon's JRPG spin on the series' usual third-person brawling? If so, then good news, because it sounds like Yakuza will be sticking to turn-based RPG combat for the foreseeable future.

Speaking ahead of the reveal of Lost Judgement, the sequel to 2018's Yakuza spin-off, series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi and producer Kazuki Hosokawa told IGN that the main series would be ditching its brawler roots after the success of Like a Dragon.

"The Yakuza series has been transformed into a turn-based RPG. On the other hand, over the year, Ryu ga Gotoku Studio has accumulated resources and know-how of making flashy and exhilarating action games that are effortless to enjoy. We decided that we should let our signature action gameplay live on through Lost Judgement."

So, Yakuza's venerable third person brawling will continue in Judgement. Yakuza, meanwhile, will retain the heightened absurdity of Like a Dragon's JRPG stylings, which as far as I can tell involved dialling a phone number to summon a downpour of lobsters or a limousine full of mobsters.

Natalie Clayton
Natalie Clayton
Features Producer

20 years ago, Nat played Jet Set Radio Future for the first time, and she's not stopped thinking about games since. Joining PC Gamer in 2020, she comes from three years of freelance reporting at Rock Paper Shotgun, Waypoint, VG247 and more. Embedded in the European indie scene and a part-time game developer herself, Nat is always looking for a new curiosity to scream about—whether it's the next best indie darling, or simply someone modding a Scotmid into Black Mesa. She also unofficially appears in Apex Legends under the pseudonym Horizon.