Sega has released a new Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii trailer ahead of the action game's Feb. 21 release date, which has properly revealed AEW star Samoa Joe's role. Sega previously teased Samoa Joe's involvement in an earlier trailer, but offered no details on who the wrestler played or his connection to the story.
Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii follows Goro Majima, the series' frequent antagonist and occasional hero, after he washes up on a Hawaiian beach with no memory of how he got there. Majima rescues a child from some criminals, requisitions a galleon, and sets sail to make a name for himself in Hawaii's piratic underworld -- called Madlantis -- where he winds up in an uneasy relationship with Samoa Joe's character, the Pirate King Raymond Law.
While the rest of Madlantis' rulers view Majima with distrust, Law sees something of himself in the rookie pirate, a willingness to shatter the rules and a love of chaos and underhanded tricks that makes him want to lend a hand -- for a time, at least. He appraises Majima's ship at one point in the trailer, though how else he involves himself in Majima's journey remains a mystery.
Sega and developer Ryu Ga Gotoku often include celebrity cameos in the Yakuza series, such as Mark Hamill in the original 2005 game and, more recently, Danny Trejo and mixed martial arts fighter Mikuru Asakura in Infinite Wealth. The team also gave AEW star and Final Fantasy fan Kenny Omega a cameo in 2023's Like A Dragon: Ishin as an assistant players could summon in battle. This is the first time a sports star has taken a leading role in a Yakuza game.
Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii comes with the Japanese voice track as the default option. The English track, including Samoa Joe's voice work, will be available as an optional, free download at launch.