How Like a Dragon has grown through parallel development and convenience stores

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One intriguing feature of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is RGG Studio’s talent for creating captivating experiences in such swift timeframes. Observe the wealth of main storyline and side quests in last year’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and this year’s Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Both games are substantial, brimming with activities, and they were released approximately a year apart from each other. They stand out as unique titles, yet have garnered significant acclaim for their achievements. For a developer like RGG to maintain this rhythm, many factors need to align perfectly, and there’s no magic formula for such success. Recently, Chief Director Ryosuke Horii and Design Manager Eiji Hamatsu shared some insights at the Game Developers Conference about the team’s rapid development cycles and why it isn’t always feasible for a studio to emulate their approach.

Horii opened his presentation emphasizing the importance of a close bond between narrative and scenario teams in creating excellent game design, as this collaboration enables storyline and gameplay design to be more intertwined. He proceeds to explain the typical progression of game development, which typically follows the sequence of scriptwriting, character creation, motion capture, voice acting, and scene editing, prior to adding final touches. However, due to RGG having produced multiple Yakuza/Like a Dragon titles, they’ve adopted a method called simultaneous parallel development. This approach allows different teams within the development process to work on two steps (scriptwriting and character creation, or voice acting and motion capture) concurrently while keeping open lines of communication. This RGG technique is one way they save time significantly, but it’s only applicable for studios that have been collaborating for a long period across multiple completed projects.

Horii clarified that “simultaneous parallel development” is a method we’ve been using for quite some time in our production process. This term signifies multiple parts or roles within a team working concurrently on a project to expedite completion. However, it’s important to note that this isn’t an easy technique to replicate. It’s a skill we’ve honed over the years through releasing numerous titles. For this method to work effectively, each production section needs a high degree of autonomy and understanding, as well as a collective vision of the final product. Unlike traditional game development where teams move on to the next phase only after completion of the previous one, simultaneous parallel development necessitates making decisions before anything is actually finished, which can be quite challenging. A single misstep can lead to confusion and potential failure in completing that section of the game.

RGG solidified its unique development strategy by utilizing an unexpected platform: convenience stores. Hamatsu discussed the series’ convenience store settings, initially introduced in Yakuza 6, and how they have contributed to Like a Dragon’s ongoing expansion. More specifically, these stores functioned exceptionally well as a testing area for RGG’s simultaneous development methodology.

During that phase, Hamatsu mentioned, we switched our engine from the old one to the new Dragon Engine and evaluated all our manufacturing processes and game systems. Yet, we knew prolonging these tests could hinder the completion of development given our tight deadline. To avoid this, we strategically planned ahead right from the project’s inception and started working on the convenience store locations, which presented numerous challenges early on. As the lead for background production at the time, I even scheduled their implementation to be ready for Yakuza 6’s demo version. This way, we could address several issues concurrently – such as testing cutting-edge graphics, establishing benchmarks, and clarifying each team member’s role, all while resolving potential problems early on.

It’s important to mention that both Horii and Hamatsu highlight Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s tendency to reuse locations as a design choice. Some gamers might criticize this approach, but the developers at RGG Studio use familiar settings like Kamurocho or more recently, Hawaii, to establish a feeling of consistency and to create an atmosphere that feels welcoming and familiar.

In Yakuza: Like a Dragon, players might initially think, “Here we go again with this location,” but it feels familiar and comforting, like returning home after a long absence, according to Horii. This feeling, he explains, comes from decades of developing games and meticulously refining our game locations while reusing them across various installments. This foundation also enables us to make the most of our resources efficiently.

Horii mentioned that this process has enabled the team to accumulate an abundance of resources for future projects, thereby streamlining and reducing costs in the development of future Like a Dragon games. This also enables the team to devote more attention to creating distinctive locations, settings, and storylines that stand out. He pointed to the Castle region from Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and the islands in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii as captivating new elements that the developers could concentrate on developing, and also market effectively to fans of the series.

Hamatsu stated, “Since Like a Dragon contains numerous aspects from its past, any new features we’ve worked hard on should encapsulate the fundamental ideas and core elements of the game. For our studio, reusing elements isn’t merely about cost reduction but also serves as an effective method for determining what essential components will be featured in the next game.

Horii and Hamatsu ended their discussion by debunking the idea that reusing assets in game development is harmful. Instead, they highlighted its advantages, such as enabling RGG Studio to spend more time experimenting with new gameplay concepts while also fostering a feeling of familiarity for players. This approach leads to a streamlined development process, making it feasible to finish and refine expansive games like Infinite Wealth and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii within a year of each other.

If you want to learn more about the Like a Dragon series, consider checking out our reviews on Infinite Wealth and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. To stay updated on stories from this year’s Game Developers Conference, don’t forget to visit our GDC 2025 topic page.

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2025-03-24 23:28