Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi’s next chapter appears to have ended before his new game could reach players. VGC’s Andy Robinson says Nagoshi Studio is effectively gone, following NetEase’s withdrawal of funding. The studio’s closure remains unannounced, leaving the future of Gang of Dragon uncertain.
In brief:
- VGC’s Andy Robinson says Nagoshi Studio has effectively closed.
- NetEase confirmed plans to end funding in May, with Gang of Dragon reportedly needing another $44.4 million.
- Gang of Dragon remains listed on Steam, with no confirmed release date or formal cancellation announcement.
Nagoshi Studio Is Gone
Speaking on VGC Podcast 190, released on October 2, Robinson said: “Nagoshi Studio, it’s not been announced, but that’s gone.”
He also said he had heard that Nagoshi had recently applied to other studios. That remains secondhand information, but it suggests the developer may already be looking for his next role. Neither claim amounts to an official closure announcement.
The report arrives almost ten months after Gang of Dragon’s December 2025 reveal. Calling that entire period “ten months of silence” would be misleading, though. The studio’s indexed news page includes a New Year’s message dated January 10, 2026.
NetEase Stopped Funding Nagoshi Studio
The financial trouble became public in March. According to reports, a NetEase spokesperson confirmed that funding would end in May as the company scaled back game development.
Gang of Dragon reportedly needed at least another ¥7 billion, approximately $44.4 million at the time, to finish development. Nagoshi was seeking replacement investors, but the March report said he had yet to secure them.
Keeping the project also presented another hurdle. NetEase reportedly required the studio to pay for the existing assets and brand if it wanted to continue independently.
What Happens to Gang of Dragon?
Gang of Dragon promised a crime action-adventure set in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, starring Ma Dong-seok as Shin Ji-seong, a senior member of a Korean crime syndicate. It features hand-to-hand fighting, blade combat, gunplay, and vehicle action.
The Steam page is still available and lists the release date as “Coming soon.” However, that listing alone doesn’t establish whether development is continuing.
