Yakuza Like a Dragon Devs, True to Their Game, Encourage "Fights" and Confrontation

In an interview with Automaton, Like a Dragon devs have shared the team's unique dynamics behind the scenes and how healthy arguments and in-fighting help them produce better games.

Like a Dragon Studio In-Fighting Helps Them Make Better GamesFiery Grit, Grit, and Grit Just Like a Dragon

Ryosuke Horii, the esteemed series director of the Like a Dragon/Yakuza franchise, revealed that internal conflicts among team members at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio are not only common but are "embraced" as a way to help them work on improving the quality of their games.

In a conversation with news site Automaton, Horii was asked whether devs at the studio often find themselves in disagreements. Horii acknowledged that conflicts do occur, but he clarified that these "spirited debates" are not inherently negative. "If a designer and a programmer are engaging in a lively discussion, it is the planner’s job to intercede," Horii explained, adding that such arguments can be productive.

"After all, if there are no arguments nor discussions, you can expect no more than a mediocre final product. Therefore, healthy fights are always welcome," he added. He further explained that the important thing to take away from these conflicts is ensuring they lead to a positive outcome. "Fighting is meaningless if it doesn’t result in a beneficial conclusion, so it is up to the planner to lead everyone in the right direction. It’s all about having constructive and productive fights."

Horii also mentioned that the studio's teams tend to "fight to the very same beat" rather than avoiding conflict. "We accept opinions based on how extremely good they are, not based on which team suggested them," he said. At the exact same time, the studio is not afraid to reject ideas that don't meet their extremely high standards. "We also make sure to ‘mercilessly’ shut down very poor ideas, so it boils down to having debates and ‘battles’ in the interest of making a very good game."