There is no doubt that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG Studio) has created a niche in gaming that is rightfully its own, with the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise always impressing and converting new fans with each entry. It is no wonder that Director Masayoshi Yokoyama and series Chief Producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto are confident enough to share that the team is keen to bring in even more star power.
“We even want Tom Cruise on there, but that hasn’t really been realised at the moment; it’s something that we kind of want in the future,” the pair joked when asked about the many cameos made by celebrities, and whether that was set to continue.
Living the Dream
It is clear the people at RGG Studio love what they do with Yakuza/Like a Dragon, and even after such a prolonged period of success, that isn’t set to change.
“The studio is actually pretty fun at the moment. The atmosphere is very lively, we just did the RGG Summit last year as well as the one that just went by. I think the studio really likes having a lot of events and having that busyness to keep us all energetic and driven; that’s just how the studio is from my experience,” said Yokoyama.
“Surprisingly, a lot of people do end up quitting when we have nothing to do, and that seems to be kind of like the characteristics of the RGG Studio, so we’re going to keep busy and have lots of fun while we’re at work.”
The hard work has definitely paid off, with Yakuza/Like a Dragon enjoying plenty of success not just within Japan only, but also internationally. Beyond the cultural aspects that have left deep impressions, it is also the care and attention to detail displayed by the team that made the series what it is today.
In fact, after using several games to tell an extended story with popular protagonist Kazuma Kiryu at the heart of it all, the studio has since pivoted to make sure that new fans are not left alienated. The pair explained that “there really isn’t a specific need to have past experience with previous titles” as the newer games have been designed to tell distinct stories, but longtime fans will always get the deep cuts and references for added enjoyment.
An Eye on the Future of Yakuza/Like a Dragon
While the pair spoke broadly about the series as a whole, this was also an opportunity for us to learn more about the upcoming titles, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and Like a Dragon 8 (also known as Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth in the West).
There is an emphasis on storytelling and making sure players are brought into the world of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, even if events and characters are changed. Although having obvious star power like Kim Jae-Wook, who plays the villainous Homare Nishitani III in Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, is great, all it matters to RGG Studio is that “if they are good, they are good enough.”
One of the hallmarks of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series has always been its ability to balance humour and serious subject matter, even if the wacky stuff really does go to surprising places. However, the overarching goal is always to make sure players get proper “character development of the main character” and allow them to be multi-faceted, all while tying into the main plot.
“There is a very systemic way; there is a lot of calculation that goes into it to make the story flow very well,” Yokoyama shared. “If the main story is serious with high tension, we don’t want to have a silly side story that would remove that mood. So we’ve got to think about what the side story is going to do to the main store and vice versa. So that everything fits together like puzzle pieces.”
That kind of approach, where change is embraced, also extends to beloved mainstays like Kiryu, who makes a triumphant return in Like A Dragon Gaiden. While he still retains that hard-hitting brawling style made famous in his previous outings, the hero is also getting a new Agent combat style, despite the potential problems it could cause.
“The setting involves a lot of spying action, so we chose to adapt the combat style into the way that RGG combat usually works,” explained Sakamoto. “One of the challenges of adding the Agent style within the game was the involvement of using gadgets in the combat system and how to make that look very natural within the RPG style. And because the Agent has a gun aspect, we didn’t want it to come off as a shooting game. So it was kind of like doing a little bit of adjustments here and there so that it’s more of an action-style combat game, as opposed to an FPS or a third-person shooter game.”
The return to full-blown action might take some by surprise, especially considering the rapturous response received for the turn-based combat that debuted in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. But for the team, the objective is that they do not want to be “continuously making the exact same type of game”, and they have “no hesitation when it comes to the game direction” of Like a Dragon 8, which will include refinements and improvements of RPG elements based on community feedback.
Ultimately, it is the story that determines the type of genre that a Yakuza/Like a Dragon game will take, and there appears to be no journey too far for RGG Studio. Continuing their great form, the pair even playfully teased a possible expansion into the simulation genre, a notion that would most certainly find an interested audience, such is the growth of that particular genre as well as the general popularity of the franchise.
With Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name arriving on 9 November and Like a Dragon 8 slated for 2024, Yokoyama said that the team is “approaching a very exciting period of development,” and he wants fans to be excited for the “new aspects of action” that will be part of the experience.
Considering the studio’s long and stellar track record thus far, our anticipation has only gone up even more. November cannot come fast enough.
Jake is a full-time trophy hunter and achievement gatherer on consoles, and part-time Steam Sale victim. He has a thing for Batman and awesome statues, and running out of space for both. Send help.
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