RGG Studio is preparing to release its first new IP outside the Yakuza franchise, Stranger Than Heaven, on January 15, 2027, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with day-one Xbox Game Pass inclusion.
RGG Studio, best known for the Yakuza series, is launching its first entirely new intellectual property in Stranger Than Heaven. Announced during the Summer Game Fest 2026 livestream on June 5, the game is set for release on January 15, 2027, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, and will be included in Xbox Game Pass from day one. Executive director Masayoshi Yokoyama revealed at a Japanese media hands-on event and joint interview that the game was originally planned as a trilogy before being consolidated into one title.
The story spans 50 years across five eras and five Japanese cities: Kokura in 1915, Kure in 1929, Osaka in 1943, Atami in 1951, and the fictional Kamurocho in 1965. It follows half-American, half-Japanese protagonist Makoto Oto (also referred to as Makoto Daito in the trailer) from 1915 to 1965, starting in Kokura and ending in Shinjuku. Yokoyama said the setting was chosen to explore how organized crime formed, a question left unanswered by the Yakuza series. The game's theme song is performed by Snoop Dogg, Satoshi Fujihara, Ado, and Tori Kelly. Additional cast includes American rapper Tupac (credited as 2Pac), Yu Shirota as the protagonist, and Snoop Dogg as Orpheus. Sega also confirmed that the late actor Bunta Sugawara appears as a character, with his family's consent and archival materials provided by Toei Company.
Stranger Than Heaven represents a major departure from the Yakuza formula. The combat system assigns each of the protagonist's limbs to a trigger button, requiring players to parry and counter enemy attacks from specific directions, replacing combo-driven brawling with a slower, defense-focused system. Show business elements, where players collect sounds to produce performances, serve as the protagonist's primary means of income and social standing. Yokoyama emphasized the game is not a Yakuza spin-off but a completely new title with its own UI, systems, and tone. The demo featured stronger enemies to teach the controls, with the final version adjusted for smoother pacing.
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Jun 23
RGG Studio held a Japanese media hands-on event and joint interview for its new title Stranger Than Heaven, scheduled for release on January 15, 2027, on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Executive director Masayoshi Yokoyama revealed that the game was originally planned as a trilogy before being consolidated into one title. The story follows half-American, half-Japanese protagonist Makoto Oto across five eras from 1915 to 1965, starting in Kokura and ending in Shinjuku. Yokoyama said the setting was chosen to explore how organized crime formed, a question left unanswered by the Yakuza series. The combat system assigns each of the protagonist's limbs to a trigger button, requiring players to parry and counter enemy attacks from specific directions. Yokoyama emphasized the game is not a Yakuza spin-off but a completely new title with its own UI, systems, and tone. The demo featured stronger enemies to teach the controls, with the final version adjusted for smoother pacing. Show business elements, where players collect sounds to produce performances, serve as the protagonist's primary means of income and social standing.
Jun 5
RGG Studio, the developer behind the Yakuza series, announced during the Summer Game Fest 2026 livestream on June 5 that its new title Stranger Than Heaven will launch on January 15, 2027. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, and it will be included in Xbox Game Pass from day one. A new trailer revealed additional cast members, including American rapper Tupac (credited as 2Pac), alongside previously announced actors such as Yu Shirota as protagonist Makoto Daito and Snoop Dogg as Orpheus. The story spans 50 years across five eras and five Japanese cities: Kokura in 1915, Kure in 1929, Osaka in 1943, Atami in 1951, and the fictional Kamurocho in 1965. The narrative follows Makoto, a half-American, half-Japanese boy who stows away on a ship to Japan after losing his parents, and his encounters that shape the founding of the Tojo Clan. The game's theme song is performed by Snoop Dogg, Satoshi Fujihara, Ado, and Tori Kelly. Sega also confirmed that the late actor Bunta Sugawara appears as a character, with his family's consent and archival materials provided by Toei Company.