Ah, New Game +. A staple of Yakuza and Like a Dragon games for decades, and yet upcoming instalment Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is locking the feature behind an additional paywall. It’s a move that’s got fans kicking up dust in disappointment, because SEGA’s money-grubbing practices are staining what is otherwise a highly anticipated release.
By the looks of it, Infinite Wealth’s New Game + mode is exclusive to the ‘Master Vocation’ DLC bundle, which is included in the game’s Deluxe and Ultimate editions (which are being sold for an additional $15 and $40 respectively). Again, past Like a Dragon titles have simply included New Game + by default. There’s very little doubt here that SEGA is ripping an existing feature from the base release in order to push sales of more expensive products.
For those totally out of the loop, New Game + typically lets you start a fresh playthrough with all of your character progress from your completed run intact. In past Like a Dragon titles, it was designed to give you a significant edge when tackling the hardest difficulty modes — or you could just use it to experience the story again without having to worry about re-unlocking all of your abilities.
There’s also a bit of concern over pre-order bonus ‘Hero’s Booster Pack’, which lets you “level up faster”. Never a good look, especially when predecessor Yakuza: Like a Dragon could be such a grind towards the end of the story.
What do you make of this nonsense? Tell SEGA how you really feel in the comments section below.
Laura Adams is a tech enthusiast residing in the UK. Her articles cover the latest technological innovations, from AI to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.
