Summary
Toshihiro Nagoshi, the creator ofLike a Dragon, shared that the upcoming game from his new studio will be an action-adventure and is set to enter the mass production phase for its assets in the near future. TheLike a Dragoncreator also shared his perspective on the current video game scene and stated that he aims to create a fun game without too much hassle.
Toshihiro Nagoshi, known for creating theLike a Dragonseries, played an important role in shaping it into a successful franchise. Afterleaving Sega in 2021 to start Nagoshi Studio, he began developing a new large-scale game project. His goal is to keep the character-driven storytelling that definedLike a Dragon, but according to him, this new game was going to be “more like a Quentin Tarantino movie.” Recently, Nagoshi provided new insights into the upcoming game from his new studio.
In aninterview with Famitsu, translatedby VGC, Nagoshi talked about his focus on crafting a game that balances a large, expansive world with meaningful gameplay. Although he remained somewhat tight-lipped on specifics,theYakuzaseriescreator shared that he’s carefully designing the game to bring an experience that doesn’t overwhelm players. Right now, he and his team are focused on resizing an originally oversized map to verify it fits the game’s main vision.
Like a Dragon’s Creator’s New Game Will Be a Compact, Story-Driven Experience
Instead of filling the game with huge, empty spaces, Nagoshi talked about the importance of creating a world where every area feels meaningful and engaging. Their goal is to try to avoid emulating what manyother popular huge AAA gamesalready do today, offering instead a compact, story-driven environment where each location adds to the overall story.
Nagoshi also reflected on how the gaming industry has become focused on offering more and more content, overwhelming today’s gamers withmassive open-world games. He pointed out that instead of just expanding the map for the sake of size, he wants to prioritize quality and density, creating a world that feels alive. “I think that to properly connect the scale of the map with the fun of playing, it is important to design the world view and explain what the player, as the protagonist, is doing in this world,” he said. Additionally, he talked about how a game’s story and drama should be closely linked to the gameplay, something fans ofLike a Dragonhave appreciated in its character-driven plots and cinematic style.
I think that in order to properly connect the scale of the map with the fun of playing, it is important to design the world view and explain what the player, as the protagonist, is doing in this world.
As fans await more updates, it’s clear that Nagoshi is focused on creating an action-adventure that stays true to what made his previous work so special, while pushing the boundaries to offer a more modern gaming experience. Nagoshi hasn’t shared any potential release window but reassured players that the team is committed to creating a game that stands out in today’s competitive gaming scene.
