Monster Hunter: Wilds will have less competition on launch week. Initially set to release on February 28, Like a Dragon: Yakuza Pirate in Hawaii will now set sail on February 21.
According to Masayoshi Yokoyama, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio head, they will be pushing the release date of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii a week. One of the main reasons is that the development of the title is going more smoothly than the team had anticipated.
On top of that, Yokoyama added: "We wanted you to be able to play the game that comes after it, with peace of mind." This is naturally referring to Monster Hunter: Wilds, which is releasing on February 28.
It's no secret at this point just how big Monster Hunter is. Capcom hit it big with World, with the game becoming the company's best-selling title ever with 20 million copies and counting. The 2019 expansion, Iceborne, is actually fifth on the list with 13 million copies added.
That's not even counting the success of Rise, the follow-up that was initially a Nintendo Switch exclusive has sold 15 million units as of June 30, 2024. The Sunbreak expansion is a few thousand units from cracking the Top 10 itself, with 8.40 million copies sold.
Releasing alongside Wilds is essentially sending out a game to die. Yes, even for a franchise as storied as Like a Dragon, especially considering the game lacks the appeal of being a mainline title in the series.
click to enlargeSure, it features beloved franchise icon Majima returning in a surreal setting that sees him stranded on an island and becoming the captain of his own pirate ship, but that doesn't mean it will have the broad appeal of previous entries like Infinite Wealth.
Funnily enough, this isn't the first time a developer moved the date of their game to let players enjoy another release. Back when Final Fantasy XIV was set to receive the Dawntrail expansion, Naoki Yoshida explained the team delayed the launch by one week so players could get to enjoy Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.
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