Yakuza's cabaret club did something very few games manage to do: unite everyone in realising that dress-up games are actually a ton of fun. Of course, that's not all Club Sunshine has to offer. It's a slick management sim plonked in the middle of a beat-em-up adventure, a perfect juxtaposition that captures the vibes of this series. It's so good that Lauren Morton, Jody MacGregor and Tom Senior have all had their moments gushing about the mode. And it's coming back, baby.
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has announced that the cabaret club will be reappearing in next year's Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (the Yakuza series is being renamed to Like a Dragon to better reflect the Japanese nomenclature). Not only that, but those in Japan can audition to be featured in both The Man Who Erased His Name and Like a Dragon 8 as a hostess. The mode has already traditionally featured Japanese idols and adult movie stars, with the auditions opening the opportunity to the Japanese public.
The cabaret mini-game will be returning in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name! https://t.co/OYXuAafCWbNovember 28, 2022
A machine translation of Sega's site says that the winners will appear in live-action footage as a hostess for The Man Who Erased His Name, as well as the right to appear in Like a Dragon 8 along with 1 million yen (around $7,200 USD). Anyone over the age of 20 in Japan has until December 23 to apply for the chance to join Club Sunshine.
The audition process doesn't seem to end until around the first few months of 2023, which means we can likely expect Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name to release sometime in the middle or towards the end of the year. Announced in October, it'll let us know what Kiryu got up to between Yakuza 6 and the next game while the likes of Ichiban Kasuga were gallivanting around in his place. It was revealed alongside Like a Dragon 8, which should release in 2024.
