Gaming's Legendary Tribute: Like a Dragon Gaiden's Epic Bonus Unleashes a Nostalgic Journey

Highlights

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has a treat for Like a Dragon fans with a special demo of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth included in Like a Dragon Gaiden.

To reward fans and generate excitement for next year's release, including a demo for the highly anticipated mainline entry of the series is an excellent approach. While the practice of including bonus demos with new games is uncommon in the modern era, it taps into the nostalgia of past gaming experiences and should be embraced further by companies.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has exciting plans for fans of Like a Dragon in the coming months. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will be released later this year, followed by Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth in 2024. Adding to the excitement, the latest trailer for Like a Dragon Gaiden reveals that the game will include a special demo version of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. This nod to the past, when bonus demos were common, is a treat for fans. While both games are highly anticipated, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the mainline entry and the larger of the two. The inclusion of a demo in Like a Dragon Gaiden gives fans a taste of what's to come and even includes exclusive content not found in the full version. This nostalgic practice is a rarity in modern gaming and adds an extra incentive for players to check out the demo.

Like a Dragon Gaiden’s Special Infinite Wealth Demo is Reminiscent of a Nostalgic Gaming Practice

Before digital game downloads became common, players would need to obtain a demo disc to access previews of upcoming releases. These discs were often available to industry insiders at trade shows, retailers with demo kiosks, and subscribers to certain magazines. However, the average player typically acquired game trials through demos included with other full retail releases.

A popular example of this practice is the original Crash Bandicoot for PlayStation, which came with a demo disc featuring other upcoming PlayStation games for players to try out. The disc included demos for titles such as Tekken 2, Wipeout 2097, Destruction Derby 2, Monster Trucks, and Formula 1. Another notable example is the bonus disc included with the special edition of Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, which showcased demos of games like Mario Party 5, F-Zero GX, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3, and Sonic Heroes.

Unlike other games that offer a range of demos from various series, Like a Dragon Gaiden exclusively presents a demo for RGG Studio's upcoming release. However, including demos for upcoming games along with a new game is a rare practice in today's modern era. It would be advantageous for more companies to capitalize on the nostalgia associated with this practice. The experience of receiving a bonus demo with a new game is an exciting treat for players, and Like a Dragon Gaiden is wise to entice fans with a preview of the much larger Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth through this demo version.

Unfortunately, distributing demos through free downloads is much more common in the current gaming landscape, diminishing the incentive for publishers to include demos with new releases. Like a Dragon Gaiden being a digital-only title may explain why this special demo is included, as it does not require additional resources for a physical version. As more games opt for digital-only releases, there is a possibility that similar releases in the future will feature special demos.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will launch November 9, 2023, on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.