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.

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Ryosuke Horii, the 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 "welcomed" 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 "in-fighting" are not inherently negative. "If a designer and a programmer are quarreling, 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 lukewarm final product. Therefore, 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 fruitful conclusion, so it is up to the planner to lead everyone in the right direction. It’s all about having healthy and productive fights."

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