Originally launched as a PlayStation 2 title in 2005, Yakuza (known as Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan) has evolved into a cherished and extensive video game series. Set in the fictional district of Kamurocho, Tokyo, the series delves into the complex world of yakuza families, their conflicts, and their schemes. In 2022, the series was rebranded as Like a Dragon, which is the English translation of Ryu ga Gotoku, reflecting a new era for the franchise.

The Yakuza games are renowned for their blend of action, melodrama, cinematic storytelling, and humor. Skipping the side quests would mean missing out on the series' unique charm and comedic elements. It took years for the franchise to gain international acclaim, but it has since flourished, thanks to a steady stream of localized re-releases, spin-offs, and new titles. The latest addition to this lineup is the Majima-centric 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?

Since its debut in 2005, 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), with a third remake on the horizon. Additionally, the franchise boasts 11 spin-offs. Initially exclusive to PlayStation, these titles have since been ported to Xbox and PC, with every game from Yakuza: Like a Dragon onwards being released simultaneously across multiple platforms, except for the Nintendo Switch. However, the Nintendo Direct in August 2024 announced that Yakuza Kiwami would be the first Like a Dragon game to hit the Switch, with its release scheduled for October 2024.

The series also ventures into different genres with Yakuza: Dead Souls (2011), a zombie-infested spin-off featuring the classic cast, and Yakuza Online (2018), a free-to-play trading card game on mobile and PC that introduced Ichiban Kasuga, the protagonist of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The popular Japanese series Fist of the North Star received a Yakuza-style treatment with Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (2018), adopting similar gameplay and structure.

Two spin-offs are set in historical Japanese eras and feature historical 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 concurrently with Yakuza: Like a Dragon and sheds light on Kiryu's story post-Yakuza 6. The most recent spin-off, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, features Goro Majima as an amnesiac protagonist in Honolulu, six months after the events of Infinite Wealth.

Which Yakuza Game Should You Play First?

For newcomers eager to dive into this expansive saga, we recommend starting with Yakuza 0 for a chronological approach or jumping into Yakuza: Like a Dragon for a fresh start with a new generation of characters.

### Yakuza Kiwami

0Newcomers or fans who started with Yakuza 0 will find familiar, precise controls, top-notch SEGA localization, and an excellent entry point into the Yakuza universe. 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 series chronologically. Set during Japan's economic boom of the late 1980s, it follows two protagonists: a young Kazuma Kiryu, a member of the Dojima family framed for a murder at the Empty Lot, and Goro Majima, a former Shimano family member now working in a cabaret. Majima is tasked with killing a blind woman, Makoto, who turns out to be the rightful owner of the Empty Lot. By the end of the game, Kiryu returns to the Dojima family after defeating its lieutenants, Majima spares Makoto's life, and the Empty Lot is destroyed, paving the way for the Millennium Tower, a pivotal location in the series.

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

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

In the first Yakuza game, Kazuma Kiryu emerges from prison after serving a decade for a murder he didn't commit, only to find himself expelled from the Tojo Clan, with ¥10 billion stolen from the clan's account and his friend Yumi Sawamura missing. Kiryu meets Haruka, whose pendant is linked to the missing funds, and confronts his former best friend, Akira Nishikiyama, who has turned against him. After resolving these conflicts, Kiryu briefly becomes the Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan before appointing Yukio Terada and retiring to raise Haruka as his adopted daughter.

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 opens with Terada, now the Fifth Chairman, enlisting Kiryu to prevent a war with the Omi Alliance. After surviving an ambush, Kiryu seeks to appoint Daigo Dojima as the new chairman. His journey pits him against Ryuji Goda, the Omi chairman's son, and introduces detective Kaoru Sayama, who assists 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)

Set in 2007, Yakuza 3 finds Kiryu running the Morning Glory Orphanage in Okinawa, far from the yakuza life. However, he is soon drawn back into the fray, facing new yakuza families, assassinations, betrayals, 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 a year after Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 expands the narrative through four protagonists. Alongside Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, a loan shark, navigates a conflict between the Tojo Clan and the Ueno Seiwa Clan. Taiga Saejima, Majima's blood brother, escapes prison after 20 years to find Majima, who had abandoned him. Detective Masayoshi Tanimura investigates Tojo Clan murders and discovers connections to Saejima's past.

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

6. Yakuza 5 (2012)

Yakuza 5 is a sprawling epic with five protagonists. Kiryu, now in Fukuoka, must deal with the missing Daigo and a brewing war between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance. Saejima, back in prison, plans another escape. Haruka pursues her dream of becoming a J-pop idol but faces complications when her agency's president is murdered. Akiyama assists Haruka in uncovering the truth, while Tatsuo Shinada, a former baseball player, seeks to clear his name.

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 saga. Released from prison after three years for his past crimes, Kiryu learns Haruka is in a coma following a car accident and has a child named Haruto. His investigation leads him to Onomichi, Hiroshima, where he uncovers the truth about Haruto's father amid rival factions and imprisoned allies.

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 marks a significant shift, introducing a turn-based combat system and a new protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga. After serving 18 years for a crime he didn't commit, Kasuga discovers the Omi Alliance has defeated the Tojo Clan. Shot by his former patriarch, Masumi Arakawa, Kasuga awakens in Yokohama and forms a new team to 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)

In Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Kiryu and Kasuga unite for a dual-protagonist adventure that spans Japan and Hawaii. Set in 2024, Kasuga learns his mother is alive and travels to Honolulu to find her, crossing paths with Kiryu, who is also on a mission. The narrative weaves through international mob groups, a religious cult, live streamers, a conglomerate, and world governments, culminating in a dramatic storyline.

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?

At the 2024 Game Awards, RGG announced the revival of Virtua Fighter and introduced a new open-world game, "Project Century," at the February 2025 State of Play. However, details about the next Like a Dragon mainline or spin-off 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