New Game Plus (NG+) is one of the greatest innovations in the history of video games. It has been a staple of the Like a Dragon franchise, one of the most beloved franchises, especially if you ask many of its die-hard fans.
Sadly, for the release of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the Ryu Ga Gotoku studio has decided to lock NG+ behind a paywall. Sorry Yakuza fans, you will need to fork over some additional money to access a traditionally free feature that is core to the series.
The NG+ feature of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth requires gamers to purchase either the Deluxe or Ultimate editions of the game.
Although live service games have abused NG+, essentially using it as a tool for you to eventually invest in season passes or updates after launch, it was originally intended to respect the player for investing dozens if not hundreds of hours into an experience. Ryu Ga Gotuku has historically used it to respect players.
If you desire to Ichiban Kasuga for a second ride with all your experience and loot intact, you’d better be ready to spend more.
The retail version of the game is already priced at $70, which seems to be the new standard in the industry for MSRP. Unfortunately, you’ll have to fork over far more for the Deluxe and Ultimate editions. On Steam, the launch price is $85 for Deluxe and $110 for Ultimate). However, they include launch bonuses and future DLC in the form of cosmetics, additional characters, and other items.
Dragging NG+ into the DLC category is a bizarre move of greed for a studio known for delivering so much value on its titles for the traditional one-time fee. Hopefully, this will not be a recurring trend going forward.