Yakuza Series: Chronological Play Guide

Originally launched as a PlayStation 2 game in 2005, Yakuza (known as Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan) has evolved into a cherished and expansive video game series. Set in the fictional Kamurocho district of Tokyo, the series delves into the intricate conflicts and schemes of yakuza families. In 2022, the series was rebranded to Like a Dragon, reflecting its original Japanese title.

The Yakuza games are renowned for their blend of action, melodrama, cinematic storytelling, and humor. Skipping the side quests means missing out on a significant part of the series' charm. It took years for the franchise to gain international acclaim, but its reputation has grown steadily, bolstered by a consistent stream of localized re-releases, spin-offs, and new titles. The latest addition to the series is the Majima-led spin-off, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

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, two remakes – Yakuza Kiwami (2016) and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017), with a third promised in the future – and 11 spin-offs since the series debuted in 2005. Initially exclusive to PlayStation, the games have since been ported to Xbox and PC. Every new game since Yakuza: Like a Dragon has been released simultaneously across all platforms, except for the Nintendo Switch. However, Yakuza Kiwami was announced for a Switch port in October 2024 during the Nintendo Direct in August 2024.

In addition to the mainline games, Like a Dragon boasts a variety of unique spin-offs. Kurohyō: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinsho (2010) and its sequel Kurohyō 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Ashura Hen (2012) are exclusive to the PlayStation Portable and feature a new character, Tatsuya Ukyo. Judgment (2018) and Lost Judgment (2021) introduce lawyer-turned-detective Takayuki Yagami, who investigates mysterious murders in Kamurocho and has a tangential connection to the main series through the Tojo Clan.

The zombie-themed spin-off Yakuza: Dead Souls (2011) brings back the classic characters in a dystopian setting. Yakuza Online (2018) is a free-to-play trading card game available on mobile and PC, introducing Ichiban Kasuga, the protagonist of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The popular Japanese series Fist of the North Star was adapted into Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (2018), which shares gameplay elements with Kiryu's adventures.

Two spin-off games set in historical Japan feature real-life figures as protagonists: Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! (2008) and Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! (2014), the latter released in the West as Like a Dragon: Ishin! in 2023.

In 2023, RGG released Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name, which runs parallel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon and details Kiryu's journey post-Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. The most recent spin-off, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, features Goro Majima as an amnesiac protagonist in Honolulu, set six months after the events of Infinite Wealth.

Which Yakuza Game Should You Play First?

For newcomers, starting with Yakuza 0 or jumping directly to Yakuza: Like a Dragon offers a fresh entry point into the series.

Yakuza Kiwami

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

Yakuza 0Yakuza / Yakuza KiwamiYakuza 2 / Yakuza Kiwami 2Yakuza 3Yakuza 4Yakuza 5Yakuza 6: The Song of LifeYakuza: Like a DragonLike a Dragon: Infinite WealthBeware: 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 timeline. Set during Japan's economic boom in the late 1980s, it follows two protagonists: Kazuma Kiryu, a young member of the Dojima family framed for a murder at the Empty Lot, and Goro Majima, a former Shimano family member working in a cabaret as punishment. Majima is tasked with killing a blind woman, Makoto, who turns out to be the legitimate owner of the Empty Lot. By the game's end, Kiryu returns to the Dojima family, Majima allows Makoto to live her life, and the Empty Lot is destroyed, making way for the Millennium Tower.

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

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

In the first Yakuza game, Kazuma Kiryu is released from prison after serving a 10-year sentence for a murder he didn't commit. The victim was his boss, Sohei Dojima, killed by Kiryu's best friend, Akira Nishikiyama, after an attempted rape of Yumi Sawamura. Upon release, Kiryu is expelled from the Tojo Clan, and ¥10 billion is missing from the clan's account. He meets Haruka, whose pendant is linked to the lost money, and faces Nishikiyama, who has become an antagonist. Kiryu eventually finds Yumi and the money, defeats Nishikiyama, and briefly becomes the Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan before resigning 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 begins with Yukio Terada, the Fifth Chairman of the Tojo Clan, asking Kiryu to prevent a war with the Omi Alliance. After Terada's apparent death, Kiryu seeks to appoint Daigo Dojima as the new chairman. He encounters Ryuji Goda, the Omi chairman's son, and detective Kaoru Sayama, who helps Kiryu while searching for her missing parents.

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

4. Yakuza 3 (2009)

In Yakuza 3, Kiryu has retired to run the Morning Glory Orphanage in Okinawa. However, he is drawn back into the yakuza world due to new conflicts involving various families, 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)

Yakuza 4 introduces four protagonists: Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, a loan shark; Taiga Saejima, Majima's blood brother; and detective Masayoshi Tanimura. The story unfolds through their perspectives, involving conflicts between the Tojo Clan and the Ueno Seiwa Clan, and the mystery of a ¥100 million loan.

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

6. Yakuza 5 (2012)

Yakuza 5 expands the narrative with five protagonists: Kiryu, Saejima, Haruka, Akiyama, and new character Tatsuo Shinada. The story spans different locations and involves the Tojo Clan, the Omi Alliance, and various personal quests, including Haruka's pursuit of a J-pop career.

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

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

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life marks the end of Kazuma Kiryu's main storyline. After serving three years in prison, Kiryu returns to find Haruka in a coma and learns about her son, Haruto. His investigation leads him to Onomichi, Hiroshima, and involves rival groups like the Saio Triad and the Jingweon Mafia.

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 a new protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, and a turn-based combat system. After serving 18 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Kasuga returns to find the Tojo Clan defeated by the Omi Alliance. His journey leads him to confront his former patriarch, Masumi Arakawa, and uncover the truth behind the clan's downfall.

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 brings together Kiryu and Kasuga in a dual-protagonist story that spans Japan and Hawaii. Kasuga learns his mother is alive and travels to Honolulu to find her, while Kiryu, dealing with his own health issues, assists in the search. The game weaves a complex narrative involving multiple international mob groups and other diverse elements.

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

All of the 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 continues to evolve. While Infinite Wealth concluded its own narrative, it left room for future developments. The franchise's success, highlighted by Infinite Wealth's record-breaking sales, suggests more mainline and spin-off games are on the horizon. At the 2024 Game Awards, RGG announced the revival of Virtua Fighter and a new open-world game, "Project Century," at the February 2025 State of Play. However, details about the next Like a Dragon installment remain under wraps.

For more video game timelines, explore these guides:

Grand Theft Auto Games in OrderGod of War Games in OrderAssassin's Creed Games in OrderResident Evil Games in Order