Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (Yakuza) is working on a new license

What is the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio ? The Japanese development team behind the franchises Yakuza and Judgment would likely have something new for fans – at least that’s what the latest issue of the Japanese weekly Famitsu reveals.

Masayoshi Yokoyama, the studio’s new chief executive, reveals during an interview new information about his team’s current projects – both on the future of existing franchises… and to come.

New in the boxes

This is the most important news of this interview: the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is currently working on a new license. The studio’s latest franchise, Judgment, saw its first episode released in 2018 – and is just the second original creation for the Japanese team since the mid-2000s with Yakuza. No details have been given regarding this mysterious new license – except that the game is in production right now … Patience is in order.

Yokoyama, however, wants to reassure the fans: Yakuza 8 is indeed in the pipeline of the studio, and should count on the presence of Ichiban Kasuga, the zany protagonist of the latest episode Yakuza: Like A Dragon, alias Yakuza 7 in Japan.

As for the next titles of the franchise Judgment, nothing is less certain: if Yokoyama ensures that he wants to follow up on the last game Lost Judgment, the studio director does not venture further … We remind you that Lost Judgment was recently the subject of a small controversy earlier this year – with the talent agency Johnny & Associates keeping a very zealous control over the image rights of Takuya Kimura, the singer and actor. having lent his features to the protagonist of the franchise.

The future is for the yakuza

Many fans are wondering about the future of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. It was one of the most important transfer window of last summer: Toshihiro Nagoshi, Japanese game designer and founder of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, is leaving SEGA to join Chinese giant NetEase in an unexpected twist. After 30 years of loyal service at Sonic’s parent company, Nagoshi became infatuated with a major upcoming player in the console video game market – leaving Masayoshi Yokoyama to head Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

But if Nagoshi was indeed a very important figure within SEGA, the game designer has long since passed the reins of franchises. Yakuza and Judgment to the other creatives of the studio, in particular Hiroyuki Sakamoto – director of Yakuza 6 — Et Masayoshi Yokoyama — scénariste de Yakuza: Like A Dragon. The latter was also appointed to replace Nagoshi at the head of the studio.