Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii moves its launch up by a week to avoid being hunted by a monster

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii screenshot

(Image credit: Sega)

RGG Studio and Sega dropped a new trailer for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii at yesterday's Xbox Partner Preview showcase, and also a surprise new release date: Instead of coming on February 28, 2025 as planned, it will come out one week earlier, on February 21. Now we know why, and the reason is eminently practical.

The explanation came in a video message posted on X by RGG Studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama (via GamesRadar) shortly after the trailer went live. After noting a couple of the features showcased in the trailer, he moved on to the "little surprise" at the end—the new release date.

"This is partly because development is progressing more smoothly than expected, but we also want to deliver the game to players around the world as soon as possible. We wanted you to be able to play the game that comes after it with peace of mind."

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We'd like to share a message from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio about Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii's release date 🗓️ https://t.co/ubPC197luu pic.twitter.com/HuMcz5VFZkOctober 17, 2024

A little cryptic, no? February is already an absurdly stacked month, with releases including Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (February 11), Civilization 7 (February 11), Assassin's Creed Shadows (February 14), and Avowed (February 18). But the real culprit seems most likely to be Monster Hunter Wilds, which is set for February 27—the same day Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was originally set to launch. That's going to be a big one: Monster Hunter Wilds currently sits atop the list of Steam's most wishlisted games, so you can understand why RGG Studio might want to get out of the way.

It's not an unprecedented move. Back in 2020, games including Everspace 2, Path of Exile, and The Medium all opted to make space for the looming Cyberpunk 2077 behemoth. More recently, the Alone in the Dark reboot jumped from October 2023 to January 2024 to dodge Alan Wake 2, Cities: Skylines 2, and Spider-Man 2 (although it ultimately didn't arrive until March), and earlier this month the MMO Brighter Shores pushed its launch back by one day—not because of a game, though, but because of the upcoming US election.

A week may or may not be enough time to finish Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii ahead of Monster Hunter Wilds' release, but what really matters is clearing the deck for those day-one (and week-one) sales. Moving off the shared spot means gamers interested in both don't have to make a choice, and that can make all the difference between a strong start (and lucrative full-price sales) and languishing on a wishlist until another dry spell opens up.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.