Nagoshi Studio Shuts Down Due To Funding Cuts

Gang of Dragon, Nagoshi Studio

In what is becoming unfortunately common in the gaming industry, Nagoshi Studio was shut down before it even got a chance to launch its first game. The studio, helmed by Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi, was working on its first title, Gang Of Dragon, which looked like a spiritual sequel to the Yakuza franchise.

Gang of Dragon screenshot (Image Credit: Nagoshi Studio)

However, people began to wonder about Gang of Dragon’s future after the studio’s website and the YouTube page were removed, and it was reported that funding would be cut back in May. Now it has been made official that the studio’s parent company, NetEase, has cut the funding for the studio. The Yakuza series was a cult favorite for a long time before games like Yakuza 0 and Like A Dragon saw greater mainstream success.

It’s unfortunate that we’ll never see if Gang of Dragon could’ve captured some of the magic that makes the Yakuza franchise so enjoyable, since there aren’t really games that try to emulate its style out there. It could’ve filled a void, especially since Yakuza may be on a bit of a hiatus with RGG Studio hard at work on both Virtua Fighter Crossroads and Stranger Than Heaven.

Perhaps Gang of Dragon was proving to be too ambitious an undertaking, as it was reported that the game would’ve taken over 40 million to finish development, which is a major risk for an unproven studio, even if a legendary developer is at the helm. Hopefully, Nagoshi and anyone else affected by the closure will be able to bounce back and continue developing games elsewhere.

What are your thoughts on the closure of Nagoshi Studio? Were you looking forward to Gang of Dragon? Let us know in the comments below, and join the Gamer Social Club Discord to chat about your favourite games, play in community game nights, take part in giveaways, and more!

DeMandre "LetalisVenator" Pressley

A lifelong gamer who enjoys playing on every platform. Eventually, I grew to love fighting games in particular and began to compete and even win competitions for some games, primarily the 2013 revival of killer instinct. Outside of gaming I also have aspirations of being a comic book artist with a few ideas of my own im developing in my head. When reviewing any game I try to keep my mind open and avoid nitpicking too much. It takes a lot for something to detract me from truly enjoying it so I may not focus on smaller details the way some others might do. I enjoy almost any genre, just don't ask me to play horror games or puzzle games.