Yakuza Series: A Chronological Play Guide

Originally launched as a PlayStation 2 game in 2005, Yakuza—known as Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan—has blossomed into a cherished video game series. Set in the fictional neighborhood of Kamurocho, Tokyo, the series delves into the intricate conflicts and schemes of yakuza families. In a significant shift, the series rebranded to Like a Dragon, the English translation of Ryu ga Gotoku, in 2022.

The Yakuza games are a unique blend of action, melodrama, cinematic flair, and humor. The side quests are not just additional content; they are essential for experiencing the full spectrum of the series' quirky charm. Although it took years for the franchise to gain international acclaim, its reputation has soared thanks to consistent releases, remakes, spinoffs, and new titles, including the latest addition, the Majima-led spinoff, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

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 a total of **nine mainline Yakuza/Like a Dragon games**, two remakes—Yakuza Kiwami (2016) and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017)—and a third remake on the horizon, along with 11 spinoffs. Initially exclusive to PlayStation, the series has since expanded to Xbox and PC platforms. Every game since Yakuza: Like a Dragon has been released simultaneously across multiple platforms, except for the Nintendo Switch. However, Yakuza Kiwami became the first Like a Dragon game to receive a Switch port in October 2024, as announced in the August 2024 Nintendo Direct.

In addition to the mainline entries, Like a Dragon boasts a variety of spinoffs, each with its unique twist. Kurohyō: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinsho (2010) and its sequel Kurohyō 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Ashura Hen (2012) are PlayStation Portable exclusives featuring the new protagonist, Tatsuya Ukyo. Judgment (2018) and Lost Judgment (2021) introduce lawyer-turned-detective Takayuki Yagami, whose investigations in Kamurocho intersect with the Tojo Clan. The zombie-themed Yakuza: Dead Souls (2011) brings a dystopian setting to the classic cast, while Yakuza Online (2018) is a free-to-play trading card game that introduced Ichiban Kasuga, the protagonist of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (2018) adapts the popular Japanese series into the Yakuza gameplay style. Additionally, Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! (2008) and Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! (2014), the latter released in the West as Like a Dragon: Ishin! in 2023, are set in historical Japan with historic figures as protagonists. In 2023, Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name explored Kiryu's story post-Yakuza 6, and the latest spinoff, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, features Goro Majima as an amnesiac protagonist in Honolulu.

Which Yakuza Game Should You Play First?

For newcomers navigating this expansive saga, we suggest starting either with the chronologically first game, Yakuza 0, or diving into the fresh start offered by Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Yakuza Kiwami

Yakuza Kiwami serves as an excellent entry point for those new to the series or those who began with Yakuza 0, offering familiar controls, top-notch SEGA localization, and a robust introduction to the Yakuza universe.

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)

The sixth game in the series but the first in chronological order, Yakuza 0 takes place during the economic boom of the late 1980s. You play as two protagonists: a young Kazuma Kiryu, a member of the Dojima family framed for a murder at the Empty Lot, and Goro Majima, a former Shimano family member working in a cabaret and tasked with killing a blind woman named Makoto. By the game's end, Kiryu returns to the Dojima family after defeating all lieutenants, Majima allows Makoto to live her life, and the Empty Lot is destroyed to make way for the Millennium Tower.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC | IGN's Yakuza 0 Review

2. Yakuza (2005) / Yakuza Kiwami (2016)

The inaugural 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 the theft of ¥10 billion from the clan's account and the disappearance of his friend Yumi. Kiryu meets Haruka, who holds a key pendant, and faces his former friend Nishikiyama, who has become an antagonist. In the climax, Kiryu finds Yumi and the lost money, battles Nishikiyama, and is asked to be the Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan. He instead appoints Yukio Terada and retires to raise Haruka.

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 Terada to prevent a war between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance. After Terada is seemingly killed, Kiryu seeks out Daigo Dojima to appoint him as the new chairman. Kiryu clashes with Ryuji Goda, son of the Omi chairman, and forms a bond with detective Kaoru Sayama as she searches for her 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, the first PS3 entry, Kiryu has retired to run the Morning Glory Orphanage in Okinawa. His peaceful life is disrupted by new yakuza families, assassinations, and even the CIA, pulling him back into the underworld.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (The Yakuza Remastered Collection), PS3 | IGN's Yakuza 3 Review

5. Yakuza 4 (2010)

Set a year after Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 introduces four protagonists. Alongside Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, a loan shark, Taiga Saejima, who escaped prison, and detective Masayoshi Tanimura delve into interconnected stories involving the Tojo Clan, the Ueno Seiwa Clan, and personal quests for truth and redemption.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (The Yakuza Remastered Collection), PS3 | IGN's Yakuza 4 Review

6. Yakuza 5 (2012)

Yakuza 5 expands the narrative with five protagonists across different scenarios in 2012. Kiryu, now in Fukuoka, learns of Daigo's disappearance; Saejima escapes prison again; Haruka pursues her dream as a J-pop idol; Akiyama helps her uncover a murder; and Tatsuo Shinada, a former baseball player, seeks the truth behind his ban.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (The Yakuza Remastered Collection), PS3 | IGN's Yakuza 5 Review

7. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016)

Presented as Kiryu's final chapter, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life follows him after a three-year prison stint. Upon release, he learns Haruka is in a coma and has a child named Haruto. Kiryu investigates in Hiroshima, facing new threats from the Saio Triad and the Jingweon Mafia while trying to uncover Haruto's father.

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 a turn-based combat system and new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga. After 18 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Kasuga learns of the Tojo Clan's downfall and confronts his former patriarch, Masumi Arakawa. Shot and left for dead, he awakens in Yokohama, forming a new crew to unravel the mystery behind Arakawa'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, brings together Kiryu and Kasuga in a dual-protagonist narrative spanning Japan and Hawaii. Post-Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Kasuga seeks his supposedly deceased mother, while Kiryu, battling cancer, aids in the search. Their journey intertwines with various international criminal factions, a religious cult, and more, creating an epic tale.

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

• 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. Despite Infinite Wealth closing its narrative arc, it leaves ample room for future stories. Following the release of the latest spinoff, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, fans eagerly await news of the next mainline installment. At the 2024 Game Awards, RGG announced the revival of Virtua Fighter and a new open-world game, "Project Century," at the February 2025 State of Play. However, details on the next Like a Dragon game remain under wraps.