Home News > Yakuza Series: A Guide to Playing in Chronological Order

Yakuza Series: A Guide to Playing in Chronological Order

by Grace Apr 10,2025

Originally launched as a PlayStation 2 title in 2005, Yakuza (known as Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan) kickstarted a cherished video game franchise that delves into the intricate conflicts and schemes of yakuza families within the fictional Kamurocho district of Tokyo. In 2022, the series was rebranded to Like a Dragon, mirroring its Japanese title, to align with its evolving narrative and gameplay.

These games are renowned for blending action, melodrama, cinematic flair, and a delightful sense of humor, often showcased through engaging side quests. It took years for the series to gain international acclaim, but its reputation has soared thanks to consistent releases, remakes, and spin-offs. The latest addition, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, stars fan-favorite Goro Majima in an intriguing new setting.

The Yakuza Games In (Chronological) Order

10 ImagesHow Many Yakuza/Like a Dragon Games Are There?

Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have released nine mainline Yakuza/Like a Dragon games, along with two remakes—Yakuza Kiwami (2016) and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017)—and a third remake on the horizon. Additionally, there are 11 spin-offs since the series debuted in 2005. Originally exclusive to PlayStation, these games have since been ported to Xbox and PC, with each new release since Yakuza: Like a Dragon being available across multiple platforms, except for the Nintendo Switch. However, Yakuza Kiwami became the first Like a Dragon game to be ported to the Switch in October 2024, as announced in the August 2024 Nintendo Direct.

Beyond the mainline titles, the *Like a Dragon* series boasts a variety of spin-offs. *Kurohyō: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinsho* (2010) and its sequel *Kurohyō 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Ashura Hen* (2012) are PlayStation Portable exclusives featuring a new character, Tatsuya Ukyo. *Judgment* (2018) and *Lost Judgment* (2021) introduce lawyer-turned-detective Takayuki Yagami, who investigates murders in Kamurocho and interacts with the Tojo Clan.

Other notable spin-offs include the zombie-themed Yakuza: Dead Souls (2011), the free-to-play mobile and PC card game Yakuza Online (2018), which introduced Ichiban Kasuga, and Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (2018), a unique take on the Japanese series with gameplay elements similar to Kiryu's adventures.

Two spin-offs, Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! (2008) and Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! (2014), are set in historic Japan and feature real historical figures. The latter was released in the West as Like a Dragon: Ishin! in 2023.

Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name (2023) delves into Kiryu's story following Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. The most recent addition, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, follows Majima as an amnesiac protagonist in Honolulu six months after Infinite Wealth.

Which Yakuza Game Should You Play First?

For newcomers to the sprawling saga, starting with Yakuza 0 offers a chronological entry point, while Yakuza: Like a Dragon provides a fresh start with new gameplay mechanics.

### Yakuza Kiwami

0Newcomers or those who began with Yakuza 0 will find familiar controls, exceptional SEGA localization, and a solid introduction to the Yakuza franchise. See it at AmazonMainline Yakuza/Like a Dragon Games in Chronological Order:

Yakuza 0
Yakuza / Yakuza Kiwami
Yakuza 2 / Yakuza Kiwami 2
Yakuza 3
Yakuza 4
Yakuza 5
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Beware: Mild spoilers for the plots, characters, and some major events of each game follow.

1. Yakuza 0 (2014)

Despite being the sixth game released, Yakuza 0 is the first in the chronological order. Set during Japan's economic boom of the late 1980s, it follows two protagonists: a young Kazuma Kiryu, framed for murder at the Empty Lot, and Goro Majima, tasked with a mysterious assassination. By the game's end, Kiryu clears his name, Majima allows his target to live, and the Empty Lot is destroyed, making way for the iconic Millennium Tower.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC | IGN’s Yakuza 0 Review

2. Yakuza (2005) / Yakuza Kiwami (2016)

In the first Yakuza game, Kiryu is released from prison after taking the fall for his friend Akira Nishikiyama's murder of their boss, Sohei Dojima. Returning to a changed Kamurocho, Kiryu navigates a stolen fortune, missing friends, and a new responsibility to Haruka, a young girl with a crucial pendant. The game culminates in a battle with Nishikiyama, after which Kiryu briefly becomes the Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan before stepping down to raise Haruka.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (Yakuza Kiwami), PS2 | IGN’s Yakuza Review | Yakuza Kiwami Review

3. Yakuza 2 (2006) / Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017)

Yakuza 2 sees Kiryu assisting the new Tojo Clan chairman, Yukio Terada, in preventing a war with the Omi Alliance. After Terada's apparent death, Kiryu seeks out Daigo Dojima to lead the clan. His journey intertwines with Ryuji Goda of the Omi Alliance and detective Kaoru Sayama, whose past is tied to the conflict.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (Yakuza Kiwami 2), PS3 | IGN’s Yakuza 2 Review | Yakuza Kiwami 2 Review

4. Yakuza 3 (2009)

Set in 2007, Yakuza 3 finds Kiryu running the Morning Glory Orphanage in Okinawa, a peaceful life disrupted by new yakuza conflicts, assassinations, and even the CIA.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (The Yakuza Remastered Collection), PS3 | IGN’s Yakuza 3 Review

5. Yakuza 4 (2010)

Set one year later, Yakuza 4 introduces three new protagonists alongside Kiryu: loan shark Shun Akiyama, escaped convict Taiga Saejima, and detective Masayoshi Tanimura. Their intertwined stories involve the Tojo Clan, the Ueno Seiwa Clan, and a mysterious woman named Lily.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (The Yakuza Remastered Collection), PS3 | IGN’s Yakuza 4 Review

6. Yakuza 5 (2012)

Yakuza 5 expands further with five protagonists across different Japanese cities in 2012. Kiryu, Saejima, and Akiyama return, joined by Haruka pursuing her dream of becoming a J-pop idol, and Tatsuo Shinada, a former baseball player seeking justice.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (The Yakuza Remastered Collection), PS3 | IGN’s Yakuza 5 Review

7. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016)

In Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Kiryu serves three years in prison for his past crimes. Upon release, he learns Haruka is in a coma and has a child named Haruto. Kiryu's investigation leads him to Onomichi, Hiroshima, uncovering new threats to the Tojo Clan.

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC | IGN’s Yakuza 6: The Song of Life Review

8. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020)

Yakuza: Like a Dragon introduces Ichiban Kasuga and a turn-based combat system. After serving 18 years for a crime he didn't commit, Kasuga returns to find the Tojo Clan defeated by the Omi Alliance. His quest for truth leads him to form a new team in Yokohama.

Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S|X, Xbox One, PC | IGN’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review

9. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (2024)

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth unites Kiryu and Kasuga in a dual-protagonist adventure spanning Japan and Hawaii. Following a viral video, Kasuga searches for his supposedly deceased mother, while Kiryu, battling cancer, seeks sanctuary and answers.

Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, PC | IGN's Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Review

All of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon Games and Spin-Offs in Release Order

Mainline Yakuza games are marked in bold with an asterisk.

1. Yakuza (2005) / Yakuza Kiwami (2016)*

2. Yakuza 2 (2006) / Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017)*

3. Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan! (2008)

4. Yakuza 3 (2009)*

5. Yakuza 4 (2010)*

6. Kurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Shinshō (2010)

7. Yakuza: Dead Souls (2011)

8. Kurohyō 2: Ryū ga Gotoku Ashura Hen (2012)

9. Yakuza 5 (2012)*

10. Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin! (2014) / Like a Dragon: Ishin! (2023)

11. Yakuza 0 (2015)*

12. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016)*

13. Yakuza Online (2018)

14. Judgment (2018)

15. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020)*

16. Lost Judgment (2021)

18. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (2023)

19. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (2024)*

20. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (2025)

What’s Next for Yakuza/Like a Dragon?

The *Like a Dragon* saga is far from over. While *Infinite Wealth* concluded its own narrative, it left a cliffhanger that promises more to come. RGG Studio's announcement of reviving *Virtua Fighter* and unveiling "Project Century" at the 2024 Game Awards and February 2025 State of Play, respectively, hints at an exciting future, though details on the next *Like a Dragon* installment remain under wraps.

For fans eager for more gaming timelines, consider exploring these guides: