Details on Next Yakuza Game With New Protagonist Will Be Revealed in July

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's new game called Judgment is officially releasing on Tuesday, but the studio is already looking ahead to its next project that features yet another new protagonist. The next game will be a part of the main Yakuza series and doesn't yet have an official name, but we'll know more about it when details are revealed on July 10th, according to the Yakuza series' producer Daisuke Sato.

Sato spoke to Gamebase.com.tw about the next Yakuza game with translations provided by Gematsu to cover what was discussed. The producer was asked during a launch event for Yakuza 5 on the PlayStation 4 whether or not Kazuma Kiryu, the protagonist of the main Yakuza games, will be making an appearance in the untiled project. Sato said that wasn't a question that could be answered yet, though some questions will at least be answered on July 10th.

"At this time, that is not a question I can answer," Sato said. "On July 10, we will announce the supporting actress for the new title, as well as share the latest information on the new title, so please look forward to it."

That doesn't necessarily mean that we'll know on that day whether Kiryu will be in the game though. The next Yakuza project is moving on to another protagonist named Ichiban Kasuga, a character players may recognize from the Yakuza universe. Kiryu's character was absolutely instrumental in making the Yakuza series as popular as it has become, so even though he may not be in this game, one would think there's at least a chance that he'll be referenced in the new Yakuza project.

The announcement for the new Yakuza game which first revealed the new character can be seen below courtesy of Giuseppe Nelva.

Though the new game doesn't yet have a title or a release date, the prospect of having another new protagonist is a promising one. Auditions were held for the role of Kasuga's female partner which is what Sato was referring to in his comments above, so expect to see yet another new character revealed soon.

To fill the Yakuza void between now and the announcement, you can always check out Sega's newest Yakuza spin-off, Judgment. The game puts an investigative spin on the series and features its own unique protagonist. Our review which can be read in full here praises the game's story and the many activities it lets players take part in.

Details on Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's next Yakuza game will be revealed on July 10th, so look for information about its title, characters, and perhaps a release date to be shared around that time.