Nagoshi’s New Game Faces Major Budget Cuts and Uncertain Future!

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Summary

  • Nagoshi Studio’s first game may face cuts due to budget constraints, as NetEase founder eyes cost-saving measures.
  • The game may not receive additional funding for development, marketing, or promotion, jeopardizing its success.
  • NetEase shifting focus to profitable games, leaving Nagoshi’s planned project unlikely to meet expectations.

The game being developed by Toshihiro Nagoshi, creator of the “Yakuza” series, could potentially face difficulties due to reported budget cuts at NetEase, including at Nagoshi Studio which he himself founded. Notably, Nagoshi left the “Yakuza” franchise after the release of 2020’s “Yakuza: Like a Dragon,” and his choice to collaborate with NetEase might have financial consequences.

In October 2021, Toshihiro Nagoshi, who had been with Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, announced his departure. This came shortly after the release of his last project with the developer, the action-adventure game “Lost Judgment,” a spin-off from the main “Yakuza” series. Following his departure, Nagoshi established his own studio, and while details about it are scarce, it’s known that their first project will be a significant undertaking.

The new Bloomberg report suggests that NetEase founder William Ding is contemplating substantial budget reductions across multiple studios under the company. These cost-cutting measures have led to job losses, such as the termination of all employees at the Seattle-based Marvel Rivals development studio this week. Unfortunately for those eagerly awaiting Nagoshi’s upcoming game, unnamed sources indicate that his team will be allowed time to complete their current project, but no further funding or development time is expected, nor is there budgeted money for marketing or promotion of the game.

Nagoshi Studio’s First Game Faces Time and Budget Issues

According to the report, NetEase, which has been growing its presence in the gaming industry for years, is now shifting its focus towards more profitable and enduring games such as “Eggy Party”, a casual game launched in 2022 that is available on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices. Notably, this game experienced significant success among children in mainland China following its global release in February 2024. As per the report, NetEase’s founder is now prioritizing investments in games expected to earn hundreds of millions of dollars each year. It seems that the game being developed by Nagoshi may not meet this criteria.

It appears that the Yakuza franchise has been thriving since Nagoshi’s departure from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. In his absence, four new titles have been released, including “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii” which came out on February 21st. This latest action RPG is receiving positive feedback, with a 84% recommendation rate from professional reviewers on OpenCritic, and favorable early reviews from Steam users who have already rated it.

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2025-02-23 02:55