Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi's upcoming game, Gang of Dragon, could have trouble making it to release, as recently revealed information shows that backer NetEase looks poised to soon pull future funding in light of unexpected costs. The Yakuza franchise has been providing fans with intense beat 'em up action and deep, crime-heavy stories for nearly 20 years, and while Nagoshi is no longer associated with the development studio behind his brainchild, his next game looks to carry similar vibes.
Published by Sega, the first Yakuza game launched on PlayStation 2 in December 2005, with Nagoshi at its helm. He had been working for Sega since the late 1980s, and by 2000, he had become CEO of one of its development studios, Amusement Vision, which was later rebranded as New Entertainment R&D. Nagoshi left Sega in 2021, prior to the release of Like a Dragon: Ishin, and founded Nagoshi Studio shortly thereafter, but his mark on the Yakuza series has been felt by fans. His new studio seems to be nearing completion of its first game, Gang of Dragon, which looks like it carries on a lot of Yakuza's storied legacy, but new financial concerns now throw that upcoming release...
