Yakuza franchise creator Toshihiro Nagoshi has announced that he will be leaving both Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG Studio) and SEGA. As part of the same announcement, Sega and RGG Studio has also confirmed that they are currently working on a sequel to Yakuza Like A Dragon.

This news follows our report from August 2021 that claimed Chinese developer and publisher NetEase was trying to hire Nagoshi.

In a statement, Nagoshi said:

As I depart from SEGA, I’m also leaving my position as the head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Thank you to the fans who have supported us and the Yakuza series for many years. You have my sincerest and deepest gratitude.

I persisted and am here now thanks to what I learned from many people around me. It’s credit to the colleagues who supported such that I could hone my mindset to continuously push boundaries.

As of today, a new Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is born where the series will live on. Though I don’t know for sure what they will create, I believe the new generation will further enhance the foundation we built over the years and deliver great games to the world. To achieve that, they too need to continue to learn, challenge themselves, and grow. I ask that you continue your support of the studio’s endeavors.

Once again, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all of you. Thank you so much for your support. Stay tuned for the many new beginnings!

Nagoshi will be leaving RGG Studio alongside Yakuza series producer Daisuke Sato. Moving forward, the new director of RGG Studio will be series producer Masayoshi Yokoyama.

Yokoyama confirmed the Yakuza Like A Dragon sequel, saying:

Ryu Ga Gotoku’s predecessors have passed down their beliefs and know-how to each and every staff member. You can witness it in the recently released Lost Judgment and will see it in the upcoming sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon which will continue Ichiban Kasuga’s story.

This game is currently being developed by producer Sakamoto and directors Horii, Ito and Mitake. I myself along with Takeuchi and Furuta are working on the story.

Check out our review for Yakuza Like A Dragon here.