Image vai Ryu Ga Gatoku/Sega.
Within its launch week, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has sold 1 million copies.
Both Ryu Ga Gatoku and Sega broke the news on Twitter, thanking players for getting the RPG to that milestone. Days after release, it was the most-played franchise entry on Steam.
The franchise’s growing popularity is nothing new. But Infinite Wealth’s success shows a turning point for the series and its reach, particularly in the west.
It’s unclear how long it took other predecessors to reach that benchmark. By this past December, 2020’s Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon sold 1.8 million copies, with 400,000 coming from Japan.
As of November 2023, the whole series has sold 21.3 million copies. To date, Sega hasn’t disclosed the performance of that month’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.
Like a Dragon gathering steam
Sega’s built up a strong momentum for Like a Dragon. Remasters and remakes for the original games, plus their inclusion on subscription services, have kept the series around in players’ minds.
The series has also benefitted from a consistent release of well-received offshoots like last year’s Like a Dragon: Ishin!. The two Judgment games have also carved out their own niche.
At the moment, Sega hasn’t said what’s next for the crime series. But it probably won’t be long before Ichiban and everyone else have a new adventure on the way.
About the Author(s)
Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com
A Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him about how much gum he’s had, because the answer will be more than he’s willing to admit.
