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Like a Dragon Gaiden with Kazuma Kiryu using some gadgets on a pair of thugs.
Category:
Video Games

When Like a Dragon Gaiden Takes Place in the Yakuza Timeline

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Chris McMullen
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Published: Nov 7, 2023 04:01 pm

The latest Yakuza/Like a Dragon game features the return of Kazuma Kiryu, which might leave you wondering when Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name takes place in the Yakuza timeline. Here’s the answer.

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Here’s Where Like a Dragon Gaiden Fits Into the Main Franchise

It’s true that Kazuma Kiryu did turn up in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, sharply dressed but definitely incognito. We also know that he’s going to appear in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth as a playable protagonist. And he was prepared to lend Ichiban a hand in the previous game, so he’s still prepared to get involved in a brawl, if he really has to.

So where does that put Gaiden? Like a Dragon Gaiden takes place in 2019, three years after Kiryu’s supposed ‘death’ in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. It begins before Ichiban encounters Kiryu in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, but later on there’s a little overlap with Yakuza:  Like a Dragon’s timeline. So you can expect Gaiden to see Kiryu regain a little of his freedom.

Related: Is Like a Dragon Gaiden on Game Pass?

Freedom? Doesn’t the world think he’s dead? Yes, but he owes a debt to the clan who helped him hide which includes doing the odd security job for them. And since he’s undercover he’s got a new ‘agent’ style which includes ‘webbing’ characters up like Spider-Man.

So the way the game fits into the main Yakuza timeline is this.

  • Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
  • Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
  • Yakuza: Like a Dragon
  • Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

If you’re wondering why there’s all the different names, Yakuza has always been Like a Dragon in Japan, the name change is just the west catching up. And that’s the answer to when Like a Dragon Gaiden takes place in the Yakuza timeline.

If you’re looking for more, check out, all the pre-order bonuses for Like a Dragon Gaiden.

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Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
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Image of Chris McMullen
Chris McMullen
Chris McMullen is a freelance contributor at The Escapist and has been with the site since 2020. He returned to writing about games following several career changes, with his most recent stint lasting five-plus years. He hopes that, through his writing work, he settles the karmic debt he incurred by persuading his parents to buy a Mega CD. Outside of The Escapist, Chris covers news and more for GameSpew. He's also been published at such sites as VG247, Space, and more. His tastes run to horror, the post-apocalyptic, and beyond, though he'll tackle most things that aren't exclusively sports-based. At Escapist, he's covered such games as Infinite Craft, Lies of P, Starfield, and numerous other major titles.
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