Yakuza Devs Promote IRL 'Fights' for Game Immersion

The developers behind the Like a Dragon series embrace conflict as a catalyst for creative excellence. In a recent interview with Automaton, series director Ryosuke Horii revealed that internal disagreements at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio are not just tolerated, but actively encouraged. This "in-fighting," he explained, is a crucial element in refining their games and achieving higher quality.

Horii emphasized that these conflicts aren't simply unproductive arguments; rather, they represent a vigorous exchange of ideas. He illustrated this with the example of a designer and programmer clashing, a situation where a planner's role is to mediate and steer the discussion towards a productive resolution. The key, Horii stressed, is ensuring the conflict results in a tangible improvement to the game. "Fights are meaningless without a fruitful conclusion," he stated, highlighting the importance of constructive conflict resolution.

The studio's approach isn't about avoiding disagreements; it's about embracing them strategically. Horii noted that ideas are judged on merit, not on the team's origin. Simultaneously, the studio maintains a high bar for quality, readily rejecting proposals that fail to meet their standards. This process, Horii described, involves robust debates and "battles" – all in the service of crafting exceptional games. The studio's culture, therefore, reflects the very spirit of spirited competition and creative friction inherent in their games themselves.