Fans who were hoping to grab a physical version of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name upon release are unlikely to be able to do so, according to some newly surfaced information. The newest entry in the recently rebranded Yakuza franchise was treated to a gameplay reveal and release date announcement at Summer Game Fest 2023, with a portion of the fandom excitingly labeling Like a Dragon Gaiden as a perfect return to form for the series.
Since physical game sales continue to suffer from a substantial decline, many publishers are growing increasingly more wary of committing resources to boxed releases. Sega hasn't been an exception to that trend, as most recently underlined by its 2022 game compilation Sonic Origins, which was a digital-only title. The Japanese gaming giant did eventually revert that particular decision by greenlighting a physical version of Sonic Origins Plus, an expanded edition of the bundle which is scheduled to hit the store shelves on June 23.
Yet Sega apparently remains reluctant to commit to physical releases moving forward, with YouTube channel KamurochoBros reporting that the English-language version of Like a Dragon Gaiden will only be available digitally. This information comes from a second-hand account citing retailers who allegedly discussed the matter with Sega. The claim itself does seem to help explain why Like a Dragon Gaiden is set to debut at $49.99, not least because publishers often highlight reduced introductory prices as one of the main advantages of digital-only releases.
While Sega has yet to confirm that the West won't receive a physical edition of Like a Dragon Gaiden, its omission from the game's pre-order page that went live on June 8 already implied as much. As things stand right now, fans looking to grab a boxed copy of the game will have to resort to importing one from the Far East, seeing how only the Japanese version of Like a Dragon Gaiden will apparently be getting a physical release.
And though it's plausible that this isn't the last of Sega's planned 2023 games that won't be widely distributed physically, there's reason to believe that Like a Dragon Gaiden isn't necessarily a sign of a digital-only future for the hit series. After all, the Like a Dragon: Ishin remake was just treated to a global physical release back in February.
Furthermore, Sega already confirmed that Like a Dragon Gaiden will be a smaller-scale game compared to the past installments in the franchise. It's hence possible that its reserved distribution strategy is merely a reflection of the game's more niche appeal, which its very title already hints at, seeing how "gaiden" is a Japanese term for a side story.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name launches November 9 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.