Launch of Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was a special moment for fans in Indonesia. SEGA and RGG Studio held a big event at Mantra PIK, Jakarta, on February 21, 2025, making it the first official Japanese game launch in Indonesia. The event featured various interactive zones as well as the presence of RGG Studio's Chief Producer, Hiroyuki Sakamoto, who shared interesting stories about the game's development.
Read also: Game Review, Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Five must-try Activity Zones
The kyoudai attendees were welcomed with a variety of exciting activities in five different zones, each offering a unique themed experience. Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
- Photobooth Zone: Thematic booths complete with props pirates for a photo.
- Demo Zone: A chance to try out the demo version of the game on PlayStation 5.
- Jankenpon Zone: Challenge Jankenpon (scissors-stone-paper) with prizes souvenirs exclusive to those who win three times in a row.
- Buffet Zone: A special dish for the kyoudai enjoy the atmosphere.
- Zone Store: Official store where to buy merchandise exclusives and games Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiin collaboration with PS Enterprise.
The Presence of Hiroyuki Sakamoto: Development Experiences and Challenges
The event officially started at 5:20 pm, opened by the MC with a special surprise: the presence of Hiroyuki Sakamoto. In the panel session, Sakamoto-san shared his experiences in Indonesia, including tasting various local foods such as fried rice and fried noodles. He also revealed that the development of this game faced great challenges due to the shorter production time compared to the previous series.
Sakamoto-san explained that Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii set after Like A Dragon 8 and explore the world after the main story ends. He also emphasized that this project is an attempt to bring in new elements, such as ship battle mechanics that have never been seen in the previous series.
Gameplay Demo: Goro Majima Action and Ship Battles
After the discussion, Sakamoto-san performed a gameplay showing how Goro Majima fights with two unique styles: Mad Dog and Sea Dog. However, the most interesting part was the ship battle demo at the Pirate Colosseum, a combat arena on the ship Madlantis. In this session, players can see how ships can be modified according to play style as well as how crew strategy plays a role in naval battles. The highlight is the big surprise: the reappearance of the Taiga Saejima in this game.
Karaoke, Mini-Games, and Trivia
After the demo, the event continued with various fun activities with KOLs, such as Luthfi Halimawan, Andhikanug, and Davidbeatt. Here are some of the activities that can be enjoyed:
- Bang Bang Batting: Mini-game adaptation of batting cage typical series Like A Dragon, with prizes merchandise exclusive to the winner.
- Bakamitai Karaoke: Sing a legendary song Bakamitai in the Indonesian version with KOLs.
- Kahoot Trivia: An interactive quiz around the game with exclusive prizes for the top three scoring participants.
Q&A Session: Answering Fans' Curiosity
In the Q&A session, Sakamoto-san provided interesting insights into the game. Some of the questions discussed included:
- Why was the pirate theme chosen? RGG Studio wants to showcase spirit Gokudo is in a new setting, so the concept of pirates in Hawaii was deemed suitable.
- What are the biggest challenges in game development? The short production time made the implementation of ship combat a challenge.
- Is there a possibility of other character spin-offs? Currently, RGG Studio is still focusing on present-day stories.
- How does the studio understand what players want? Despite listening to fan feedback, the team still prioritized making a game that they thought was fun.
- Will similar events be held again in Indonesia? The enthusiasm of fans in Indonesia is very high, so there is a possibility of similar events being held in the future.
Lucky Draw and Autograph Session: A Memorable Closing
To conclude, the event ended with Lucky Drawwhere nine lucky participants received merchandise exclusive, and one grand prize winner takes home Grand Prize. Sakamoto-san also held an autograph session for everyone. kyoudai in attendance, where they could bring one item to be signed. This moment was a valuable opportunity for fans to get closer to the creators of their favorite games.
