RGG Studio Explains Reusing Assets For Like a Dragon and Yakuza Games

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Summary

  • RGG Studio releases games annually since 2005, staying prolific in the industry.
  • RGG Studio reuses assets to save time, but ensures new games feel fresh.
  • Pirate Yakuza demonstrates success in asset reuse with a fresh spin on elements.

Among SEGA’s top-performing and productive game development studios is Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, often referred to as RGG Studio. They are primarily recognized for spearheading SEGA’s Yakuza and Like a Dragon video game franchises.

Contrary to many other studios that dedicate their efforts to a single long-term project, RGG Studio stands out by consistently delivering a new game annually since 2005! In fact, over the last three years, they have even managed to release two games each year.

RGG Studio Explains How They Reuse Assets Without Having Their Games Feel Stale

Despite escalating game development costs reaching astronomical levels, RGG Studio has cleverly navigated this challenge by repurposing assets across multiple titles. This strategy not only helps them maintain a swift pace of game releases but also sets them apart from many other studios.

An illustrative instance is “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii,” a project that took approximately a year to complete. The task became more manageable due to RGG Studio’s approach of expanding upon and enhancing the existing map they had created. In “Pirate Yakuza,” RGG Studio crafted novel ocean maps and pirate ship gameplay, yet they leveraged enemies, maps, and even mini-games from previous series installments.

In a roundtable discussion with the media (through Ungeek), the head of production and director for the Pirate title within the Yakuza series, Ryosuke Horii and Yasuaki Uehara, shared some insights about the game’s creation process.

The pair openly discussed the strategies they employed to create Pirate Yakuza within a span of more than a year. Horii expressed some insights about this process.

The primary factor that enabled us to develop the game within a year was our unwavering dedication and hard work. Simply put, this was the key to successfully releasing the game so quickly.

In creating Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, we leveraged many resources and strategies developed over time from Like a Dragon: Infinite Riches. Essentially, we built upon our accumulated knowledge and refined skills to assemble this new title.

By incorporating components from past titles, there’s a risk that the upcoming game might seem overly similar and less engaging. However, RGG Studios has a team of skilled developers well-versed in introducing novelty to keep the experience exciting.

The developers acknowledge that this task isn’t straightforward; they mention there’s often a degree of experimentation involved, particularly when introducing novel features or gameplay mechanics to breathe life into aspects from earlier games, as Uehara explains.

According to Mr. Horii’s previous remarks, the success of this project primarily relied on our problem-solving skills, which we honed through numerous trials and errors during the development process. Our team shares a positive mindset, often relying on trial and error to generate innovative ideas. We adopted this methodology while designing the game.

Regardless of what RGG Studio may have done differently this time, their approach proved successful yet again, as Pirate Yakuza stands out as another exceptional production from the studio. Our evaluation awarded it a 8.5 rating, and it currently holds a “Strong” score on Open Critic with an average score of 81 based on 132 reviews.

Upcoming from RGG Studio is the next installment within the Virtua Fighter series, currently unnamed and without a specified launch date.

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2025-03-28 18:39