Next Yakuza Game's Protagonist Confirmed

Mar 20, 2019 9:18 AM PDT Ichiban Kasuga and a mystery female lead.

by Colin Stevens

The next game in the Yakuza series, tentatively titled Shin Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan, will feature Ichiban Kasuga as its protagonist, and Sega has opened auditions for a female lead.

This news comes from the official Ryu ga Gotoku website (via Gematsu). Kasuga, who debuted in Yakzua Online, is a former member of the Tojo clan's Arakawa family who has been in prison for 17 years for a crime he didn’t commit. A new protagonist in the Yakuza series is notable (and entirely expected) as Kazuma Kiryu held that role for the majority of the franchise.

The unnamed female lead will be chosen via an open actress audition for women ages 20 and up, and participants can register via an official website. The actress chosen will perform in the game and be involved in promotional activities, along with winning one million yen (~$9,000) in prize money. Auditions are open until April 21.

The upcoming Yakuza game currently has no official title or set release date, though it is confirmed for PlayStation 4.

For more on the Yakuza series, check out our impressions of the spinoff game Judgement, which really is Yakuza + Ace Attorney.

In our review of the most recent Yakuza game, Yakuza Kiwami 2, we called it “Great” saying "Yakuza Kiwami 2 is an excellent remake of a decade old game, and a superior entry to the series than Yakuza 6."

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Colin Stevens is a news writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

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