Like a Dragon: Gaiden, the upcoming spin-off in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise, will not have an English dub at launch on November 9, 2023. This news was confirmed by Yong Yea, the English voice actor for protagonist Kazuma Kiryu.
Yea took to Twitter to announce that the English dub will be added in a post-launch update, although the specific date for this update remains unknown. He also noted that the Steam page for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, which is scheduled to launch on January 24, 2024, indicates that the game will have both Japanese and English dubs available at launch.
The absence of an English dub at launch is not uncommon for the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise. The first game in the series to feature a proper English dub was the spin-off title Judgment in 2018. Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which was released in 2020, also had an English dub available at launch.
However, this marks the first time that an English dub will be introduced via a post-launch update. While many fans of the series often opt for the Japanese dub for an authentic experience, it is unfortunate for those who prefer the English dub or rely on it to better follow the narrative.
Hopefully, fans of the English dub won’t have to wait too long for its arrival. Like a Dragon: Gaiden is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming games for long-time series fans, as it continues the story of Kazuma Kiryu.
