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Yakuza Creator's New Game Seems To Have Lost Its Director After NetEase Reportedly Pulled Funding
Kotaku • • technology
Key Points:
- Nagoshi Studios, founded by Toshihiro Nagoshi and Daisuke Sato after leaving Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio in 2021, appears to be facing severe difficulties, with co-founder Daisuke Sato recently listing himself as “ex-Nagoshi Studio” on social media.
- The studio’s troubles began in early 2025 when NetEase, its financial backer for the game Gang of Dragon, started reducing funding and marketing support amid a broader pullback on gaming investments.
- Despite a new trailer release at The Game Awards in December 2025, reports in March indicated NetEase would cease funding by May, with Nagoshi Studios seeking an additional $44.4 million to complete the game, but no new funding has materialized.
- Further concerning signs include the studio’s website going offline, its offices marked as permanently closed on Google, and the absence of official statements clarifying the studio’s status or the future of Gang of Dragon.
- Kotaku has contacted both NetEase and Nagoshi Studios for comments, but no official response has been provided, leaving the situation unresolved and fueling speculation about the studio’s potential shutdown.
