The Yakuza devs aren’t trying to hide their plan to get out of the way of Monster Hunter Wilds: “We wanted you to be able to play the game that comes after it with peace of mind”

After showing off Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s Assassin’s Creed Black Flag-style naval combat during the Xbox Partner Showcase, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio dropped a surprise that the RPG is coming one week early. Now, over on Twitter, the developer is getting into the why – and it’s fairly straightforward and understandable.

Studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama says the new release date is “partly because development is progressing more smoothly than expected” and that the team wants to “deliver the game to players around the world as soon as possible.” The benefit is that you can “play the game that comes after it, with peace of mind.”

What game could that be? Well, take your pick – In February 2025 alone, we’re getting Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Avowed, and Monster Hunter Wilds. What’s likely most notable among that rabble, though, is the new Monster Hunter game, as it’s set to release on February 28 – the very date Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii eyed up before the team decided to bring its release date forward.

Is that week enough to get through what could be a lofty RPG? Perhaps not, though it does free me of some degree of choice paralysis, and for that, I’m grateful. According to How Long to Beat, the previous three Yakuza games take 57, 12, and 23 hours to beat – though it’s worth noting that those with shorter playtime are spin-offs. Mind you, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is also a spin-off, so maybe one week will be plenty to clear the RPG before Monster Hunter Wilds swallows our time whole.

With Assassin’s Creed Shadows pushed back to an already-full February, expect a bloodbath that might decide the future of RPGs.