Yakuza Studio Director Credits Xbox Game Pass with Success in North America

By Marc Deschamps

Yakuza has been going strong since 2006, but Sega has noticed an increased interest in the West over the last few years. Future entries in the series will be titled "Like a Dragon," but previous games are currently available with the original name on Xbox Game Pass. In a new interview with Twinfinite, studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama was asked about the franchise's performance outside of Japan. Yokoyama cited a few possible reasons for the series' success in the West, while specifically mentioning how services like Xbox Game Pass have made older games more accessible to newcomers.

"In terms of audience, I think the West has especially increased. It's hard to tell if that's thanks to multiplatform or if it's because we changed the genre and protagonist from Yakuza: Like a Dragon as a new series, or both," Yokoyama told Twinfinite. "Personally, I do think subscriptions like Game Pass, allowing people to play the previous games over the years, have contributed largely to the increase in audience."

There has been a lot of discussion about Xbox Game Pass over the last few years, and what kind of impact the subscription service might have on actual game sales. Different companies are bound to have different experiences with Xbox Game Pass, but a lot of developers have actually cited increased sales as a result; it certainly seems Sega is happy with how Game Pass is introducing new fans to Yakuza! That could bode well for other Sega franchises receiving a similar treatment on the service, but fans will just have to wait and see for now.

Of course, it's not hard to imagine Like a Dragon finding continued success in North America. Several new games are currently in development, and a live-action adaptation is also in the works. If Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio continue to deliver the same level of quality fans have come to expect, it's likely newcomers will continue to flock to the series.

Did you discover the Yakuza franchise through Xbox Game Pass? Do you think the service has played a role in the success of the series? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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