RGG Studio, the team behind the Yakuza and Like a Dragon series, has revealed that STRANGER THAN HEAVEN will release on January 15, 2027. The announcement was made during the Summer Game Fest 2026 showcase, alongside a new trailer that gave fans a closer look at the game’s massive cast.

The trailer showed off a wide range of names attached to the project, including Snoop Dogg, Yu Shirota, Dean Fujioka, Moeka Hoshi, Tokuma Nishioka, Tori Kelly, Satoshi Fujihara, Akio Otsuka, Ado, Cordell Broadus, and Bunta Suguwara.

Please welcome Masayoshi Yokoyama from RGG Studio, visiting the U.S. for the first time in two decades! He’s here with a new Stranger Than Heaven announcement, joined by @SnoopDogg and Cordell Broadus! #SummerGameFest pic.twitter.com/Bs8lPFQchz

— Summer Game Fest (@summergamefest) June 5, 2026

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But perhaps the biggest talking point was the confirmed appearance of the late rapper Tupac Shakur, whose likeness will be used for a character in the game. His estate gave the green light for a character model based on him to appear, with Snoop Dogg playing a role in making that happen.

Music is a big part STRANGER THAN HEAVEN, a game built around organizing musical shows, which explains the heavy musical presence across its cast.  Story-wise, the game works as a prequel to the Yakuza and Like a Dragon games. It spans five time periods across the early 20th century, specifically 1915, 1929, 1943, 1951, and 1965, and eventually ties into the fictional city of Kamurocho, the setting central to the long-running action series. It also connects to the Tojo Clan, a key faction in those games. STRANGER THAN HEAVEN is set to release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.