For veteran Yakuza series aficionados, one thing is as familiar as the gritty city streets and characteristic intrigue of the game - the voiceover in Japanese. The more recent fans of the series, however, may have grown used to English voiceovers and are eagerly awaiting the forthcoming release of the newest game in the franchise, Like a Dragon: Gaiden - The Man Who Erased His Name. These particular fans may be in for a big surprise, as the game's English voice pack will not be initially available at launch.
Renowned voice actor Yong Yea, who lent his tone to the game's protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, confirmed this development. The English voice pack will only debut post-launch. The game is officially slated to come out on the 9th of November, but there has been no communication on when exactly the English dub will be added.
But that doesn't mean non-Japanese speaking fans will be entirely lost in translation. Even without the English voice pack, subtitles will be included in the game. Although the subtitles will effectively keep the story accessible, this piece of news specifically affects those players who prefer English voiceovers.
In addition to the main game, the title will also feature a demo version of another game from the franchise, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. This spin-off is expected to be released next year for both the PS5 and PS4 platforms.
The anticipation for Like a Dragon: Gaiden is palpable among gamers familiar with the Yakuza series, and those new to the franchise. However, the inconsistencies with the English dub at the launch point to a potential lapse in the game's readiness for a global audience. Veteran players may argue that something is lost in playing these games with English dubbing, but even so, it seems remiss to release such a notable game without a key component for its English-speaking audience.
The scale of this situation is largely different from the localized lower-budget JRPGs that perhaps do not always have an English dub. Like a Dragon: Gaiden is on a completely different weight class, and its initial lack of an English voice pack can be disappointing to players who've awaited its release.
Regardless of the initial lack of English voiceover, there is much to look forward to in the upcoming game and its eventual dubbing. The world of PS gaming evolves once more, bringing unexpected surprises and momentary hold-ups, all part of the excitement and anticipation for what is sure to be another memorable installment in the Yakuza game series.
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