Sega confirmed today that the Yakuza series will continue on as a turn-based RPG. This comes after the success of the last entry, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, which left behind the fast-paced brawling the series once featured for more tactical, turn-based combat.
However, action-craving fans can still get their fill in the Judgment series of spin-off games. Today Ryu ga Gotoku Studio and Sega also announced Lost Judgment, a sequel to 2019’s Judgment. Like its predecessor, it’ll be an open-world game with a focus on over-the-top fisticuffs, similar to previous Yakuza titles. In an interview with IGN, Sega producer Kazuki Hosokawa and Yakuza series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi explained that the Judgment series will continue to focus on action-packed brawling, while future Yakuza games will remain turn-based.
“The Yakuza series has been transformed into a turn-based RPG,” explained the producers. “On the other hand, over the years, 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 Judgment.”
In a video Q&A about the just-announced Lost Judgment, Nagoshi further explained why Yakuza and Judgment would play so differently. He said that while the studio had discussed the possibility of making Lost Judgment turn-based they ended up not doing that.
“While we may pursue the turn-based system even outside the Yakuza series,” said Nagoshi during the Q&A, “The conclusion we ended up at was that because [Judgment] is a different series the best approach would be to keep them separate and refine what makes each series great.”
In a statement given to Kotaku, a Sega rep confirmed the news, saying: “The Yakuza series will live on as a turn-based RPG while the Judgment series keeps the spirit of Ryu ga Gotoku’s fast-paced, brawler action.”
So if you were a big fan of Like A Dragon’s turn-based combat, good news, you are getting a lot more of that. If you didn’t like that style of gameplay, well, good news, the Yakuza devs are making more Judgment games and keeping the brawler action from Yakuza alive and well in that series. It’s a win-win situation.
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