Tupac Character Revealed for Upcoming Video Game, Fans Have Mixed Reactions
Fans are a little confused after new details emerged surrounding the upcoming Like a Dragon prequel, Stranger Than Heaven, at the 2026 Summer Game Fest on June 5.
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A new trailer from SEGA confirmed that the game will include a Tupac Shakur character, using the likeness of the infamous "California Love" rapper nearly 30 years after his death.
While other celebrities set to appear in the game, like Snoop Dogg, will voice their own character, it's unclear whether Shakur will be voiced by an actor or through archival recordings.
Fans were immediately divided by the news, and took to X to share their thoughts, excitement, and confusion. "The Tupac thing feels really gross to me off the bat. I don't know man, need to no more but it just feels like making a buck off of a guy who has been dead for 30 years," said one unenthused fan, while another contended, "I think it's kinda cool."
A third wrote, "Everybody hating on Tupac in Stranger Than Heaven is ridiculous, we don't even know nothing about it yet bro. Snoop obviously facilitated this and they HAD to get permission from his estate, so what are we getting upset about?"
Stranger Than Heaven is an upcoming action-adventure game from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the Sega-owned team best known for the Like a Dragon (formerly Yakuza) series and the Judgment spinoff games. Originally revealed as Project Century at The Game Awards in 2024, the game was officially renamed Stranger Than Heaven in 2025.
Unlike the studio's modern-day crime dramas, the new title spans roughly 50 years of Japanese history, following protagonist Makoto Daito across multiple eras and cities in a saga that appears to explore the origins of elements later seen in the Like a Dragon universe.
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The team revealed the release day for the game at the event, citing plans to drop it on on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC on January 15th, 2027.
Shakur died at just 25 years old on Sept. 13, 1996, following a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, and while that was nearly three decades ago, a 2025 docuseries by 50 Centreignited attention on the case.
Sean Combs: The Reckoning revisited long-standing allegations about the murder and examined claims that Sean "Diddy" Combs may have had ties to individuals connected to the shooting. However, no court has found Combs responsible for Shakur's death, and any alleged connection remains unproven.
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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 4:49 PM.