We got our first look at the development of Yakuza 8 this week.

The video was shared on YouTube by Japanese mixed martial artist Mikuru Asakura, who will be appearing in the game. More on that later.

This video came in the form of off-screen development footage, framed as a studio tour of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

Looking at the video, we are able to get a few glimpses at Yakuza 8, along with some insight into how RGG Studio looks, if that’s something you’re interested in.

The video shows off some characters including the protagonist of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Kasuga Ichiban. However, he seems to be missing his signature afro. 

We also see SEGA President Haruki Satomi and RGG President Masayoshi Yokoyama offer Asakura the chance to be in the game, which he accepts on the spot. Then he goes to do a 3D modeling shoot to get his likeness in the game.

This upcoming Yakuza game was announced in October 2021, but no further details were made available at the time.

Looking at the video, it is highly likely that the new game will be a continuation of the story from Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

To round things off, here’s a brief overview of the Yakuza series:

Yakuza is a game series that was first released in 2005 for the PS2, PS3, and the Wii U. It is a series of Japanese-made beat-em-up action adventure games with an open world. 

The games are best known for their incredibly serious and gripping crime storylines, along with their massive catalogs of hilarious and weird side quests and/or minigames. 

Historically, Yakuza is a series that perfectly balances the dramatic storytelling in the main story with the complete absurdity of its side content.

The latest game in the series, Yakuza: Like a Dragon took a massive risk and pivoted from active beat-em-up combat to turn-based combat more like a JRPG. 

If you are interested in watching this behind the scenes video, you can check it out below.