Yakuza’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is an upcoming role-playing video game that has placed a popular feature behind a paywall, angering fans.

Due for release on January 26, the latest installment in the Yakuza franchise, like most video games in recent years, comes in a variety of editions, from Standard to Deluxe and Ultimate. While this in itself is not unusual, the different editions generally include extra content that’s not essential to the game or sometimes even physical goodies, like posters, badges, and so on.

However, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and publisher Sega have decided to only put NewGame+ options into the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions, resulting in players needing to pay out $84.99 and $109.99 respectively for the feature. Essentially, you’ll need real-life Infinite Wealth.

NewGame+ refers to being able to go back and replay the game with all the loot and weapons you’ve amassed over your time in the game, enabling you to more easily explore different areas and usually unlock the full range of achievements. It’s highly unusual for this to be locked away behind a paywall – and it’s not proving to be a popular decision.

One fan of the game described the lack of NewGame+ as standard as a “massive disappointment, writing on X: “I don’t know why they decided that’s not necessary since the Kaito Files. Premium Adventure is still in but that’s still a huge bummer.”

Over on Reddit, the top comment on the Yakuza subreddit states: “It’s not ‘bizarre’, it’s just greedy,” with over 1,000 upvotes at the time of writing. “I strongly dislike the cut-throat approach to DLC and locking a basic feature behind a paywall,” agrees another user.

It’s not just among fans that the decision is being criticized, with Yong Yea, the voice actor of one of the game’s two protagonists, Kazuma Kiryu, also posting on X: “No game should lock New Game Plus behind a paywall. Doing so hurts community goodwill and replayability, a net negative in the long run.”

I've expressed this stance in the past and I'll express it again. No game should lock New Game Plus behind a paywall. Doing so hurts community good will and replayability, a net negative in the long run. It should be a base feature or free update for any game that supports it.

— Yong Yea (@YongYea) January 19, 2024

What do the Deluxe and Ultimate Game Editions of Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth include?

The Deluxe Edition’s Master Vacation Bundle doesn’t just include New Game+, however. There’s also a range of outfits included, a bonus dungeon, and an exclusive character.

For the Ultimate Edition, you’ll get everything the Deluxe Edition has, as well as the pre-order bonus Linebacker and Tennis Ace jobs, a Hero’s Booster Pack, special boosters, and an in-game karaoke playlist to boot.

Featured image: Ryū Ga Gotoku Studios via IGDB

Rachael Davis

Freelance Journalist

Rachael Davies has spent six years reporting on tech and entertainment, writing for publications like the Evening Standard, Huffington Post, Dazed, and more. From niche topics like the latest gaming mods to consumer-faced guides on the latest tech, she puts her MA in Convergent Journalism to work, following avenues guided by a variety of interests. As well as writing, she also has experience in editing as the UK Editor of The Mary Sue , as well as speaking on the important of SEO in journalism at the Student Press Association National Conference. You can find her full portfolio over on Muck Rack or follow her on social media on X.

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