Like a Dragon developers: how to release 14 big games between two parts of GTA
The head of development of the Like a Dragon series told us how Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio manages to release so many games and keep the quality bar high, while other large studios spend years developing a new game.
In a commentary for the Washington Post, RGG studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama said that the developers approach the creation of the series as a series. RGG Studio releases many games that cover one big story.
“If you take a ‘GTA’ or ‘Assassin’s Creed,’ those companies’ big marketing copy is ‘Oh, a new city with completely new gameplay,’ and they almost reinvent a large portion of the game,” said RGG Studio Director Masayoshi Yokoyama through an interpreter. “Most games these days aren’t necessarily upgrades of the previous as much as they are complete reboots.”
Unlike Rockstar or Ubisoft, RGG Studio constantly uses previous developments in new games. For example, most of their games take place in the same fictional Tokyo neighborhood, Kamurocho, so developers don’t have to create new locations every time.
“We take on an approach that builds on the previous version,” Yokoyama said. “That comes more from a drama or movie type of development, linear media content. … I don’t think many companies are doing this with video games. I would argue it’s probably only us.”
Since 2020, when the Yakuza series changed its name to Like a Dragon, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has released a total of 4 new games, three of which are part of the main series. Only in 2023, the studio released the remake of Ishin! and the spin-off Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.
The latest game in the series, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, was released on January 26, 2024 and received very good reviews from both critics and players. Infinite Wealth is called one of the best, if not the best game in the series. This is also confirmed by its sales, as its launch became the most successful in the franchise.