The Yakuza franchise is no stranger when it comes to shaking things up a bit. Each game has incorporated all matter of crazy side activities that range from the mundane, fishing and karaoke, to the more involved, such as running a cabaret club, cleaning and building up an island, and engaging in strategy-style clan battles.
The core mechanics of the games themselves have also changed from being action-RPG to being turn-based RPGs. The team at Ryu Ga Gotoku (RGG Studio) isn't afraid to experiment with their ongoing series, which seems like a trend that will continue with the next title.
Back in early July, RGG Studio said that fans will "be surprised" by what they have in store for their next title. More recently, it was discovered that Sega filed a trademark on July 26 for something called Yakuza Wars.
Right off the bat, there are a few things worth nothing. First, this looks like it may be some sort of a spin-off title from the mainline entries. The Yakuza games have pivoted to being called Like a Dragon with the shift to being turn-based action.
The name itself could also be some sort of a clue to the game. It could indicate that this will be an online game where players run or manage their own clans and do battle against each other. It could also suggest some sort of a full strategy type of experience that would take place within the Yakuza/Like a Dragon universe. It could also just be some sort of a mobile title that, while it will "surprise" fans, would not necessarily delight said fans.
Though not officially announced, it is probably a safe bet that RGG Studio is also working to some degree on the next mainline entry in the series. The critical and fan reception to Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth showed that the series is only growing in popularity. Even if this Yakuza Wars doesn't end up being everyone's cup of tea, it's hard to imagine RGG Studio will stop making new mainline games any time soon.
