It’s the end of an era at SEGA’s Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio as the company has officially confirmed the departure of Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi, and producer Daisuke Sato.
This news follows an August report that Nagoshi is in “final negotiations” to join Chinese giant, NetEase. Neither Nagoshi nor Sato have revealed their plans for the future, so their next ventures are not known at present. Nevertheless, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has announced several staffing changes in light of these departures. Masayoshi Yokoyama has taken over as studio director and executive producer, Ryosuke Horii is Yakuza series’ chief director, and Hiroyuki Sakamoto will serve as chief producer.
In the same press release, Ryu Ga Gotoku studio confirmed that a sequel to Yakuza: Like A Dragon is currently in development.
“Ryu Ga Gotoku’s predecessors have passed down their beliefs and know-how to each and every staff member,” Yokoyama said in a statement. “You can witness it in the recently released Lost Judgment and will see it in the upcoming sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon which will continue Ichiban Kasuga’s story.”
Yokoyama also teased a new game by Ryu Ga Gotoku studio, which he hopes to reveal within the next year.
“I hope to show you a new Ryu Ga Gotoku title by a new Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio that is different but still the same, and something that will spark a feeling of ‘this is what we are waiting for’ within you,” he continued. “I’d like to continue on my life as a video game creator with earnestness.”
[Source: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio]
