The ‘Like a Dragon’ series, previously known as Yakuza, has experienced significant growth over the past two decades. In 2005, Yakuza introduced Kazuma Kiryu and his Yakuza family, and their story continues to unfold to this day.
Initially known for its brutal depiction of the Japanese criminal syndicate, the Yakuza series has evolved over time to incorporate humor and exaggerated elements, setting each game apart from the rest. For those curious about the sequence of the games, here is a chronological breakdown of the mainline Yakuza games.
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How Many Yakuza Games Are There?
Since its initial release in 2005, Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku studio have developed and launched a total of nine primary Yakuza games and two remakes.
Initially exclusive to PlayStation, these games have now been made available on Xbox and PC platforms as well.
With the exception of the Nintendo Switch, all subsequent game releases, including Yakuza: Like a Dragon, have been simultaneously launched across all systems.
Yakuza games in release date order
To start, here is a comprehensive list of Yakuza games arranged in the order of their release dates and the consoles they were initially released on. While some of the earlier titles have been adapted for modern consoles, we will maintain simplicity by only including the original hardware they were launched on.
- Yakuza (2005 | PlayStation 2)
- Yakuza 2 (2006 | PlayStation 2)
- Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan! (2008 | PlayStation 3)
- Yakuza 3 (2009 | PlayStation 3)
- Yakuza 4 (2010 | PlayStation 3)
- Kurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Shinshō (2010 | PlayStation Portable)
- Yakuza: Dead Souls (2011 | PlayStation 3)
- Kurohyō 2: Ryū ga Gotoku Ashura Hen (2012 | PlayStation Portable)
- Yakuza 5 (2012 | PlayStation 3)
- Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin! (2014 | PlayStation 3)
- Yakuza 0 (2015 | PlayStation 3)
- Yakuza Kiwami (2016 | PlayStation 3)
- Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016 | PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One)
- Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017 | PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One)
- Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (2018 | PlayStation 4)
- Ryū ga Gotoku Online (2018 | Android, IOS, PC)
- Judgment (2018 | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, PC, Xbox Series X/S)
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020 | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
- Streets of Kamurocho (2020 | PC)
- Lost Judgment (2021 | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
- Like a Dragon: Ishin! (2023 | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
- Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (2023 | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (upcoming 2024 | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Yakuza Games in Chronological Order
Please be cautious as the information provided below may contain spoilers regarding the plots, characters, and significant events of each Yakuza game in chronological order.
1. Yakuza 0 (2014)
The initial game released, Yakuza 0, is actually the first in terms of its chronological order within the Yakuza series. In this game, we are introduced to two protagonists. The first protagonist is a young Kiryu Kazuma, set in the late 1980s.
He finds himself falsely accused of a murder that was orchestrated by one of his subordinates in the Dojima family. The motive behind this crime revolves around the ownership of an important piece of land known as the ‘Empty Slot’. Whoever possesses this land holds significant power and influence.
In the series of Yakuza games, the protagonist Kiryu finds himself being pursued by his own yakuza clan. Meanwhile, a former yakuza member named Goro Majima is serving a punishment for his involvement in a past assassination. He is now working in a cabaret.
Goro receives a mission from his former boss, Futoshi Shimano, to eliminate a blind woman named Makoto. The reasons behind this assignment remain undisclosed until later, when it is revealed that Makoto is the rightful owner of a valuable property known as the Empty Lot.
At the conclusion of the game, Kiryu successfully overcomes all the lieutenants and reunites with the Dojima family. Majima, on the other hand, decides to let Makoto lead her own life.
2. Yakuza (2005)
In the initial installment of the Yakuza series, the main character is Kiryu Kazuma. He finds himself in prison unjustly, having taken the blame for a murder he did not commit. The victim in question is Sohei Dojima, Kiryu’s superior, who was killed by Akira Nishikiyama, Kiryu’s closest companion.
The motive behind this act stems from Sohei’s attempted assault on Yumi Sawamura, a mutual friend of Kiryu and Nishikiyama. After spending ten years in prison, Kiryu finds himself in a difficult situation. He is expelled from the Tojo Clan, the organization he was once a part of, and discovers that someone has stolen a staggering ten billion yen from the clan’s account.
To make matters worse, his beloved Yumi is nowhere to be found. However, amidst all the chaos, Kiryu crosses paths with Haruka, the daughter of a woman named Mizuki. Haruka possesses a pendant that holds significant importance in relation to the missing money.
Additionally, Nishikiyama, Kiryu’s former captain and adoptive father, betrays him by shooting him, turning into an adversarial force. In the intense finale, Kiryu manages to locate Yumi, retrieve the missing money, and engage in a fierce battle against Nishikiyama.
Following this, Kiryu is offered the position of the Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan, an opportunity he gladly accepts. However, he surprises everyone by appointing Yukio Terada, a former member of the rival Omi Alliance yakuza, as the new chairman.
Kiryu then makes a life-changing decision to leave behind his yakuza lifestyle in order to raise Haruka, whom he has chosen to adopt as his own daughter.
3. Yakuza 2 (2006)
In the Yakuza 2 game, the story begins with Terada, the Fifth Chairman of the Tojo Clan, seeking Kiryu’s assistance in avoiding a conflict with their long-standing rivals, the Omi Alliance.
However, a sudden attack leaves Terada seemingly lifeless, prompting Kiryu to embark on a mission to find Daigo Dojima, the son of Sohei Dojima, in order to appoint him as the new clan chairman.
In the process of assisting Daigo, Kiryu crosses paths with Ryuji Goda, the Omi chairman’s son, and they develop a hostile relationship due to Ryuji’s refusal to establish peace with the Tojo Clan.
Additionally, a new character named detective Kaoru Sayama enters the scene and offers her assistance to Kiryu. Meanwhile, she also embarks on a personal quest to uncover the truth about her parents, who went missing during her childhood.
4. Yakuza 3 (2009)
Yakuza 3, the initial installment of the series released on PlayStation 3, showcases a unique starting point for Kiryu. In this game, he finds himself far removed from the yakuza lifestyle as he dedicates himself to the care of an orphanage named Morning Glory Orphanage in Okinawa.
Alongside Haruka, Kiryu takes on the responsibility of looking after numerous children who reside there.
Regrettably, tranquility is short-lived. The main character is confronted with numerous challenges involving various individuals, including newly introduced yakuza organizations, multiple instances of murder, shootings, acts of betrayal, an illicit arms trafficking syndicate, and even the involvement of the CIA.
5. Yakuza 4 (2010)
Yakuza 4 takes place a year after the events of its predecessor and introduces a new storyline that delves deeper into the world of the Yakuza. While it still explores themes of family, betrayal, and crime, this time it offers a unique perspective by following the journeys of four different protagonists.
In addition to the popular character Kiryu Kazuma, three fresh individuals make their appearance in the bustling streets of Kamurocho. One of them is Shun Akiyama, a loan shark who operates his own business called Sky Finance.
He unexpectedly becomes entangled in a dispute between the Tojo Clan and the Ueno Seiwa Clan. Furthermore, Shun finds himself in need of a loan worth 100 million yen, which he seeks from an enigmatic woman named Lily.
In 1985, Taiga Saejima, who shares a blood bond with Goro Majima, was incarcerated following a targeted attack on the Ueno Seiwa Clan. Two decades later, Saejima manages to escape prison and embarks on a quest to find Majima, who had left him behind during the aforementioned attack.
Detective Masayoshi Tanimura, a fresh protagonist, is currently conducting an investigation into a recent homicide within the Tojo Clan. During his investigation, he encounters Lily, who happens to be Saejima’s sister, and she is being targeted by the Shibata family.
Tanimura eventually discovers that the head of the Shibata family had a connection to the notorious incident in which Saejima was involved years ago. Ultimately, Kiryu joins forces with new allies and uncovers the fate of all the individuals entangled in the ongoing conflicts.
6. Yakuza 5 (2012)
In the Yakuza series, Yakuza 4 introduced a complex storyline with multiple perspectives from its protagonists. However, Yakuza 5 took this concept to the next level by featuring five different protagonists, each experiencing unique scenarios. This installment can be considered the largest game in the series due to its expansive gameplay and diverse character perspectives.
In the Yakuza games, the storyline begins with Kiryu, who decides to leave Kamurocho and relocate to Fukuoka, leaving behind Haruka and his orphanage. However, Kiryu’s peace is short-lived as he soon discovers that Daigo, a prominent figure, has gone missing. This news threatens to disrupt the fragile peace between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance.
Saejima finds himself imprisoned once more, but this time, he plans to break free alongside his cellmate Shigeki Baba. However, his plans take a turn when he receives news of his blood brother Majima’s death. Meanwhile, Haruka, who is now a teenager, is pursuing her dream of becoming a J-Pop Idol.
However, her journey becomes complicated when Mirei Park, the president of her talent agency, is discovered dead under suspicious circumstances that appear to be a staged suicide. Akiyama, a returning protagonist, steps in to assist Haruka in uncovering the truth behind Park’s death.
In the series of Yakuza Games, there is a new character called Tatsuo Shinada. He used to be a professional baseball player but was unfairly accused of manipulating a crucial game, resulting in a lifetime ban. Daigo, who is disguised as a mysterious individual, approaches Shinada and urges him to uncover the truth behind the incident that occurred many years ago.
7. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016)
The Yakuza series comes to a close with Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, which portrays the final chapter in Kiryu Kazuma’s life. In this installment, our main character finds himself back in prison, but this time it is for his own past wrongdoings rather than being falsely accused.
The previous game concluded with Haruka’s concert announcement, where she revealed Kiryu’s true identity as her father and his former affiliation with the Yakuza.
Following his release from prison, Kiryu makes his way back to Kamurocho, albeit for a brief period. However, his return is met with distressing news – Haruka, a significant person in his life, is in a coma following a seemingly tragic car accident.
To make matters more perplexing, Kiryu discovers that Haruka has given birth to a child named Haruto. As it turns out, Haruka had been residing in Onomichi prior to the accident.
Determined to uncover the truth behind the incident and identify Haruto’s father, Kiryu sets off to investigate in On Onomichi.
In the process of gathering evidence, key individuals such as Daigo, Saejima, and Majima find themselves incarcerated, leaving room for the Chinese Saio Triad and the Jingweon Mafia, rival factions, to strategize their next steps in Kamurocho.
8. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020)
Yakuza: Like a Dragon marks a significant shift in the Yakuza series, introducing a fresh beginning. Unlike previous games, the main character is not Kiryu, but a Tojo Clan member named Ichiban Kasuga.
Kasuga made a sacrifice by spending 18 years in jail to protect his captain, Jo Sawashiro. However, upon his release, he discovers that nobody is searching for him since the Tojo Clan has been defeated by the Omi Alliance.
In the world of Yakuza games, Masumi Arakawa, the influential leader of the Arawaka family, had a cunning plan in collaboration with the Omi group. He betrayed the Tojo Clan and cunningly manipulated Ichiban, convincing him to take the blame for a crime and serve a lengthy prison sentence in place of Sawashiro.
Adding to the betrayal, Arakawa unexpectedly shoots Ichiban when they reunite after nearly two decades. After waking up in Ijincho, Ichiban encounters a homeless individual named Yu Nanba, who helps him recover from his injuries.
This marks the beginning of our protagonist’s journey, where he will be introduced to various new characters who will join his team. Together, they will strive to unravel the motives behind Arakawa’s actions and confront three different criminal organizations: the Yokohama Liumang, the Geomijul Mafia, and the Seiryu Clan.
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