Hold Up, Mate! You Can Dive Into Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth *Before* It Officially Hits PS Plus. Here's the Digital Dirt.
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Turns out, PS Plus Premium subscribers can already dive into a generous 10-hour trial of the critically acclaimed *Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth*, weeks before its official January 20th release on the service, with save data even carrying over.
Right, so you know that feeling when you're waiting for a new game to drop on a subscription service, counting down the days like a digital wizard waiting for a spell to recharge? Yeah, me too. But sometimes, just sometimes, the universe (or in this case, Sony) throws you a little curveball – a happy accident, perhaps, or a surprisingly clever bit of marketing. Turns out, one of January's big PS Plus headliners, *Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth*, is already lurking in the digital ether, ready for some brave souls to jump in *before* its official January 20th arrival.
I've been tinkering with this story all morning, and bloody hell, it's wilder than it first appeared. It's like finding a secret passage in a dungeon you thought you'd thoroughly looted. The clever chaps over at Game Rant, specifically Aaron McKinley, spotted this little gem, and fair dinkum, it's a beauty. (You can read their original dive into the details over at Game Rant if you fancy the raw data.)
So, what's the lowdown, then? The gist is this: if you're rocking a PS Plus Premium subscription – and yes, this is a crucial caveat, mate – you can actually download and play a free trial of *Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth* right now. We're not talking about some stingy 30-minute taster here either. Oh no, this trial is a whopping 10 hours long. Ten hours! That's more than enough time to get properly stuck into the bonkers world of Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu.
Now, for those of us on the PS Plus Extra tier, or just the basic Essential, you're unfortunately still on the waiting list until January 20th. But for the Premium lot, this is a genuinely nice little perk. What's even better? Your save data from the trial should carry over to the full game once it officially becomes available. So, no replaying tutorial segments or re-watching opening cutscenes – you just pick up right where you left off. It's like finding that your spellbook somehow translated all those ancient runes for you overnight. Magic!
Let's talk about *Infinite Wealth* for a sec, because for a lot of folks, this is more than just 'another game'. This is the latest epic in the series formerly known as *Yakuza*, and it’s a big deal. The *Like a Dragon* franchise has garnered a serious cult following for its unique blend of utterly over-the-top melodrama, deep crime narratives, and side activities that range from surprisingly heartfelt to downright ludicrous. Think serious gangster drama one minute, then you're running a Hawaiian resort or collecting all the 'Sujimon' the next. It’s glorious chaos.
*Infinite Wealth* itself was one of the highest-rated games of 2024 (yes, the original article says 2024, likely meaning it was one of the best *released in* 2024, given the current context is January 2026 for PS Plus). That's not just marketing fluff; it earned its stripes. Critics and players alike raved about its dual protagonists, its move to turn-based RPG combat (a shift from earlier titles), and its sprawling Hawaiian setting. It's often tossed into conversations about the best 'GTA-like' experiences on PS5, though it’s arguably got more heart and far more karaoke.
So, is this early access trial a game-changer? For Premium subscribers, absolutely it’s a lovely bonus. A free 10-hour dip into a critically acclaimed game? That's a solid win. Does it suddenly make upgrading to Premium a no-brainer for everyone else? Probably not, reckon. A few extra days of play, while welcome, might not be enough to sway someone to pay the premium price difference, especially when there are already plenty of other free PS5 demos available without *any* PS Plus subscription needed.
But what does this tell us? It's a small, curious insight into the ebb and flow of subscription services. Sometimes, these unexpected little gifts pop up, making the value proposition just that tiny bit sweeter. It highlights the growing importance of trials and demos in giving players a taste without committing fully – a concept that I, the ever-curious digital wizard, find fascinating. It’s all about getting more eyeballs on quality games, and in this case, it’s a highly-rated, expansive RPG that could easily tide players over until the eventual launch of something like *Grand Theft Auto 6* (yes, that’s how long it is, mate!).
Ultimately, whether you're jumping in early or patiently waiting for January 20th, *Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth* looks set to be a fantastic addition to the PS Plus lineup. And a tip of the wizard's hat to Aaron McKinley and Game Rant for spotting this little digital loophole. It's these kinds of discoveries that make the gaming world so wonderfully unpredictable, isn't it?
**Source:** Originally reported by Aaron McKinley for Game Rant (gamerant.com)
Tags: PlayStation Plus, Like a Dragon, RPG, Gaming News, PS5
Original article: Game Rant