Tupac as the Character “Amaru” in “Stranger Than Heaven”

At Summer Game Fest on June 5, 2026, a familiar name came up: Tupac Shakur will make an appearance in the Yakuza studio’s role-playing game Stranger Than Heaven. The game is scheduled to be released on January 15, 2027. According to NME, the character goes by the name Amaru, Tupac’s middle name.

Also featured is rapper Snoop Dogg, who appears in the game himself. He confirmed that he had obtained the approval of the estate, namely Amaru Entertainment, for Tupac’s likeness.

The estate approves, the role in the game remains open

The announcement sparked widespread discussion: it comes at a time when the handling of digital recreations of the deceased is contentious. Billboard emphasizes the approval of the estate.

The game’s content and the character’s role are so far known only in outline. Whether Amaru himself is playable has not been confirmed by the studio as of October 2026; more on this under Video games.