This year marks the 20th anniversary of the beloved Yakuza / Like a Dragon series, and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is pulling out all the stops to celebrate. Fans have been given a unique opportunity to influence the future of official merchandise by voting on what they'd like to see produced. The options are as diverse as they are quirky, ranging from cult clothes to a traffic cone and even golden underwear, capturing the essence of the franchise's famously wild nature.
As reported by Automaton, the voting process includes a staggering selection of 100 different items, with RGG Studio committing to bring the top two vote-getters to market within the next two years. While the competition is currently listed in Japanese, fans worldwide can participate by submitting their votes on the official website.
Among the items up for vote, some are more conventional, like a 20th anniversary celebration hoodie and a Yakuza-themed pencil case. However, the list also includes more eccentric choices drawn directly from the game's lore. Highlights include the cult outfit worn by Munan Suzuki in Yakuza 0, the giant traffic cone Majima uses to surprise Kiryu in Yakuza Kiwami, and the intriguing "Puffy Gold Pants."
Other notable items include the sake Majima sips in a shack in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Akiyama's gold watch, Kiryu's fountain pen from Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Kashiwagi's tambourine from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Kiryu's wrestling mask from Yakuza 3, and Saejima's prisoner uniform from Yakuza 4, among many other quirky selections.
To further celebrate this milestone, fans can look forward to the release of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii on February 21, 2025. While RGG Studio marked the 10th anniversary with the beloved prequel Yakuza 0, no additional projects have been announced for the 20th anniversary beyond this new installment.
Despite the possibility of multiple releases in one year seeming ambitious, RGG Studio has a proven track record of rapid development. Over the last five years, they've successfully launched Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Judgment Remastered, Lost Judgment, Like a Dragon: Ishin, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, along with two Super Monkey Ball games and an enhanced remaster of Virtua Fighter 5, totaling nine games.
