RGG Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama has officially confirmed that Japanese actor Shunsuke Daito will appear in the upcoming action title STRANGER THAN HEAVEN.

The announcement was made through a video shared on social media, where Shunsuke Daito personally revealed his involvement in the project alongside new details about his character. According to Daito, his role will play a major part in the story’s progression, teasing that the character could significantly impact events midway through the game.

During the video, Daito also joked about sharing the same family name as the game’s protagonist, Makoto Daito. He humorously explained that while reading the script, he occasionally became confused over which lines belonged to him and which belonged to the protagonist. He added that Makoto seemed to have far more dialogue, jokingly saying it made him “a little sad.”

Character Will Interact With Makoto in Sotenbori

Masayoshi Yokoyama further explained that the character portrayed by Shunsuke Daito will interact with protagonist Makoto in Sotenbori, one of the iconic entertainment districts frequently featured throughout the studio’s games.

However, Yokoyama also playfully clarified online that despite Daito’s comments, the character “does not completely turn the story upside down,” suggesting the actor may have been exaggerating his importance for comedic effect.

The latest reveal continues to build anticipation around STRANGER THAN HEAVEN, which has already attracted significant attention online following multiple trailers and music collaborations tied to the game.

Kazuhiro Nakatani Will Not Appear in the Game

One of the more surprising reveals from the announcement was confirmation that Kazuhiro Nakatani will not appear in STRANGER THAN HEAVEN.

Nakatani, who is well known among fans for voicing Akira Nishikiyama and Ichiban Kasuga in the Like a Dragon series, was reportedly present during the reveal video. Despite this, Yokoyama directly stated that the veteran voice actor has no role in the upcoming title.

The confirmation quickly sparked discussion among fans online, especially given Nakatani’s long-standing connection to RGG Studio productions and the Like a Dragon franchise.

Shunsuke Daito’s History With the Yakuza Franchise

This will not be Shunsuke Daito’s first appearance in an RGG Studio game. The actor previously portrayed Shigeki Baba in Yakuza 5 and later appeared as Mortimer in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

His return to an RGG Studio project has been welcomed by longtime fans, particularly those familiar with the studio’s recurring collaborations with actors across the Yakuza and Like a Dragon franchises. A welcome expectation for STRANGER THAN HEAVEN to see the return of Shunsuke Daito.

STRANGER THAN HEAVEN is currently scheduled to launch this winter for PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, alongside PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game will also be available through Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming at launch.