An RGG Studio period drama set in 20th-century Japan is about the last place you’d expect to run into two icons of West Coast hip-hop, but that’s exactly where Summer Game Fest 2026 went. During today’s show, SEGA and RGG Studio revealed that the late Tupac Shakur will appear in Stranger Than Heaven, the studio’s Like a Dragon prequel, as a new character named Amaru. The reveal trailer doubled as a release date drop, locking the game in for a worldwide launch on January 15, 2027. Who had this on their 2026 Bingo card?
Naming the character Amaru is a deliberate nod, pulled from Tupac Amaru Shakur, and the rapper’s estate, Amaru Entertainment, has signed off on the portrayal while keeping ongoing oversight of how he’s used. RGG got out ahead of the obvious questions, stressing that Amaru’s design was built from archival footage and photographs in close collaboration with the estate, with no AI involved anywhere in the process. The studio is holding details on his actual role in the story for a later date.
After RGG Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama came out to lock in the release date, Snoop Dogg joined him on stage to talk through Tupac’s inclusion as Amaru. Snoop’s involvement isn’t brand new; his role surfaced back at the game’s dedicated May showcase. He also lends his voice to the official theme song, sharing the credit with Satoshi Fujihara, Ado, and Tori Kelly, all of whom appear in the game as well.
The trailer rolled out a batch of new cast names too, including Takashi Ukaji, Yasukaze Motomiya, Takaya Kuroda, and Kohei Tsuji of Nippon no Shacho. Stranger Than Heaven is coming to PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, and PC, with a day one launch on XBOX Game Pass and XBOX Play Anywhere support, and the PC version is available on Steam. Preorders are live now across digital standard and deluxe editions plus physical standard and collector’s options. The limited Collector’s Edition (XBOX Series X|S or PlayStation 5) is one for the shelf: a 12-inch vinyl of the main theme alongside other tracks, a SteelBook case, the Deluxe Upgrade and preorder bonus DLC, and the base game, all packed into a premium box with exclusive art.
