
Yakuza: Like a Dragon has got off to a good start in its native Japan with some pretty solid sales figures. And despite its dramatic departure in the gameplay department -- swapping action combat for turn based battles -- the title appears to have been well received. However, the release is currently being hounded by fans because its New Game Plus mode is being locked behind a paid DLC pack.
New Game Plus has been a staple of Yakuza games over the years. It's usually included as part of the base release, allowing players to jump back into a brand new playthrough while carrying over all of their unlocked abilities, equipment, and resources. For it to be offered as paid DLC is a bit of a kicker, especially since this latest Yakuza title is much more of an RPG, complete with levels, stats, weapons, armour -- the lot. The DLC pack will also include a 'High Difficulty' mode.
It's currently unclear how much this pack will cost, and we obviously don't know whether SEGA will apply the same DLC model to the Western release of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which is due out sometime this year. In any case, it's just a shame to see parts of Yakuza be removed, only to then be sold as DLC. Hopefully SEGA gets the message.
[source twitter.com, via gematsu.com]
Comments 23
this is as bad as Konami charging for save slots
the industry is going mad
Gross. Just gross... Because "Gross" by itself was not enough so "Just gross".
Trash. Just trash.
Oh no no, you can’t just lock a feature of literally the past 8 or 9 games behind a paywall. Vile business practice.
I have an irrational hate of the Yakuza series simply because SEGA abandoned Shenmue because it was too expensive to make only to turn around and fund...Shenmue with gangsters.
Maybe it resonated better with people?
I can't help but feel like SEGA should have ported Shenmue to PS2 after the Dreamcast failed and then continued the series.
Maybe, in an alternate reality, Yu Sazuki's masterpiece was already enjoyed proper by the fans.
Maybe one day I will get around to playing the Yakuza series - not like I am in any hurry since PS5 will be backwards compatible with PS4 titles.
Hmm, Yakuza arrives on Xbox for the first time ever and now this happens?
... coincidence?
This is the inevitable beginning of the end for gaming.
DLC is for post game extras when a game is popular, not for fencing of staples of a particular franchise. Shoddy and horrible.
I wonder if the number of people who played new game plus was super low and this was the only way they could justify the little extra effort. I'm just speculating but this is as surprising as it is disgusting.
Got it. We should wait for the definitive edition on PS5
how shameful of sega to do something like this, this has been a staple of the series since the beginning and now they have the cheek to charge for it?
smdh 😕
Yeah, not cool Sega. Im still buting the game, but there is no way this should be paid dlc, and i wouldnt touch ot with a barge pole, unless they can explain what they are actually charging for. You'd expect some kind of new content
With this kind of business practices I don't know what to expect for the next generation or if I should retire from the next gen and just replay or play previous game generation that I miss
People should stop supporting companies that implement bs schemes on their games, like this one.
i don't know what kind of weed yakuza developer smoke these days!. from messing up a whole franchise gameplay with turn-f-based to this paid dlc.
@GamingFan4Lyf
I can't help but feel like SEGA should have ported Shenmue to PS2 after the Dreamcast failed and then continued the series
they probably would have if XBOX hadn't brought the rights to Shenmue 2 at the time
@FullbringIchigo That's true. For some reason, I thought that was an Xbox 360 release, not a original Xbox release. My memory is slipping me.
Sadly, I wish I had bought Shenmue II for Dreamcast when I had the chance. There was a...EB Games (or Babbages) near me that had the imported version for like $80. I had both a mod chip in my Dreamcast AND the official VGA Box (had...is....the...key..word..... **sigh** so sad to not have it anymore) and could have played it.
I did get to play the Xbox version though.
I do have Shenmue I & II HD on Xbox One.
Enjoying Shenme III at the moment.
That's not rad.
@FullbringIchigo yup, Xbox... The place Japanese games go to die.
Anyways sega, get your act together! You are better than this!
This is just pure greed. cmon RGG/SEGA this series has been godsend but this paid new game plus is just destroying the goodwill that i have. if this sticks i will not buy the game.
@GADG3Tx87 Yes, coincidence
Great business decision, Sega...
The greed in this industry is real.
This is extremely greedy and very much unnecessary.
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