Microsoft held a special Xbox Partner Preview livestream event this week which showcased some IP’s developed by studios that are part of their program. This includes RGG Studio, the main developers of the Yakuza franchise. During the event they went bit further into their upcoming next entry, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, also known as the eighth mainline installment of the Yakuza series. We’ve already seen a plethora of interesting, and straight up whacky mechanics for the title, but this newest one just might be one of the best yet. The studio revealed that players can travel to a place called Dondoko Island, which you can then turn into your own special island resort home. Essentially, it’s a mini Animal Crossing mode inside of the main game. Only the Yakuza franchise everyone.
Once you get there to Dondoki Island, by riding a dolphin no less, you can begin crafting items for your home, catch insects, go fishing, and other DIY staples that are seen from the Animal Crossing franchise. The trailer shows Ichiban Kusaga literally crushing rocks in order to new materials for crafting. We also see him picking up trash in order to change them into treasure, or as he calls it “dailies.” Through the trailer, as Ichiban continues to build his build the island, we see the small living space turn into a luxurious beachside resort. However, there is one major difference between this and Animal Crossing. The locals can interfere with your progress unless you make nice with them and help them out. On top of that, the island has a wild boar problem, which will only make things more difficult when building structures.
This newly revealed mode is just one of many, many different hilarious mechanics and features. This includes playing a spiritual successor to Crazy Taxi, literally fighting Danny Trejo, taking on a giant shark, and much more. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will officially launch next year on January 26, 2024 for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/Series S, and PC. It will be preceded by Like Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which will tie into the title and is slated to release next month on November 8 for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/Series S, and PC.