Yakuza: Like a Dragon separates PC save storage by storefront more clearly than many games: standard/Steam, GOG, and Microsoft Store each have different roots. That means a generic instruction such as “copy the Sega folder” is too broad. SaveEditor records the user-ID level and the GOG-specific suffix so a backup can be put back into the environment that created it. Microsoft Store remains a WGS container and is not described as file-compatible with the normal AppData layout.
Start with the least destructive explanation
When Yakuza: Like a Dragon progress appears missing, first verify the active PC location: Windows: Steam/Windows: %APPDATA%SegaYakuzaLikeADragon<user-id> ; GOG: %APPDATA%SegaYakuzaLikeADragon_GOG<user-id> ; Microsoft Store: %LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesSEGAofAmericaInc.Yazawa_s751p9cej88mtSystemAppDatawgs<user-id>. Expected files/folders: User-ID-specific save records inside the active storefront directory.. Many apparent save failures are actually profile, storefront, path-redirection, or cloud-selection problems rather than damaged game data.
Preserve every surviving copy
Back up the complete storefront-specific user-ID folder. Do not flatten files from GOG and Steam into one Sega directory because each edition has its own expected root. Before renaming, moving, replacing, or opening candidate backups, copy them outside the live directory. Do not use the only surviving file as the test specimen for repair or editing.
Check launcher and cloud state
Storefront context: Steam, GOG, Microsoft Store. GOG deliberately uses a different YakuzaLikeADragon_GOG root. Microsoft Store data is not a normal AppData file set. Cloud notes: Steam Cloud, GOG Galaxy cloud, and Xbox Cloud are documented. A sync client can reintroduce an older or newer version after a manual restore, so recovery work should keep local and cloud copies conceptually separate until the wanted progress is confirmed.
Use format and compatibility clues
Steam/standard Windows and GOG use separate Roaming AppData roots, while Microsoft Store uses WGS. The account-specific subfolder is part of the save location and should be preserved. Cross-store copies are not guaranteed by identical game content. The WGS edition in particular should be treated as a separate container until a tested transfer workflow is available. If the file exists but is ignored, compare the complete directory structure, slot/profile naming, game edition, mods/DLC, and any companion metadata. Do not assume an extension change or generic checksum tool can repair a game-specific container.
Game-specific troubleshooting
If progress is missing, confirm the storefront and user ID first. Then check whether the launcher restored cloud data after the local folder was changed. If a known-good backup works, preserve it and create a fresh in-game save before further experiments. If no copy works, prefer read-only inspection and source-backed game-specific tooling over repeated writes.
Verification context: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki Yakuza: Like a Dragon save paths and cloud-sync table.