As Palworld dominates the headlines on Steam, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s latest game, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, is making quite an impact as well.
Despite not reaching similarly extraordinary sales figures and concurrent player counts, the latest entry in the popular Yakuza franchise registered a peak concurrent player count of 46,161 over its launch weekend. This figure surpasses the previous series high set by Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which had a peak player count of 13,737, and greatly exceeds the numbers for Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the first game featuring the series’ current protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga.
Infinite Wealth, which takes the series protagonists Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu to Hawaii, has garnered attention not only for its gameplay but also for the controversies surrounding its downloadable content (DLC). Criticism has been directed towards the game’s approach to DLC, especially the decision to lock the new game plus mode behind a paywall in the $15 extra Deluxe Edition.
Furthermore, the $110 Ultimate Edition has been a topic of debate due to its inclusion of boosters and upgrade materials that potentially disrupt the game’s natural progression. This edition offers a variety of enhancements, including bonus dungeons, special outfits, and additional karaoke songs, but it’s the inclusion of level-up canisters and boosters that has drawn criticism from fans.
The Ultimate Edition’s impact on gameplay is significant if unfair. Hundreds of upgrade items automatically added to a player’s inventories early in the game can lead to imbalance, allowing characters to become overpowered too quickly. This has caused concern among players who wish to experience the game’s intended progression and challenges. On the other hand, standard edition player start the game with a more traditional progression path, gradually building their characters’ abilities.
The success of Infinite Wealth on Steam is a testament to the growing popularity of the Yakuza series, which was once struggling in the western market. The turnaround for the franchise began with the release of Yakuza 0 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which introduced new audiences to the series. Infinite Wealth takes the series outside Japan for the first time, offering the largest map in the series’ history and a mix of crime drama and quirky side content, including a mini-game reminiscent of Pokémon.
However, the game’s success comes amid broader industry trends marked by high expectations and significant financial risks. The industry is currently experiencing a phase where the commercially successful titles have to achieve record-breaking player numbers otherwise risk suffering from substantial financial losses. This dichotomy is evident in Sega’s recent experiences, contrasting the success of Infinite Wealth with the failure of other projects like Hyenas.
Nevertheless, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s success, especially on Steam, remains noteworthy. The franchise was struggling just a few years ago. This time, the latest entry is one of the most-played games on Steam.
It remains to be seen what else RGG has planned for Yakuza but it’s clear the franchise still has a bright future ahead.
