Yakuza Series Creator Recalls Proposal Got "Flat out Rejected" by Sega

It's been around four months since Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, was added to the 20-year-old Like a Dragon (Yakuza) franchise. Launched on January 25, this ninth mainline entry and direct sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020) has made quite an impact. Selling its first million copies within just a week, it became the fastest-selling title in the series, pleasantly surprising even its creators.

Recently, Toshihiro Nagoshi, the former chief creative officer of Sega and the mastermind behind the Like a Dragon series, shared some interesting insights into the early development struggles of the first Yakuza game. Speaking on the live documentary show Weekly Ochiai (and translated by Automaton), Nagoshi revealed the initial resistance he encountered from Sega.

Nagoshi recalled Sega's swift rejection of his first Yakuza proposal, saying:

Despite the setbacks, Nagoshi remained confident that Yakuza could make its mark, not by catering to the masses, but by establishing a strong, unique identity. The challenge for him at that time was convincing Sega management, given there was no precedential success story to lean on.

Yakuza finally got approved after at least three attempts. Still, the creator notes that the approval did not come through "regular routes" and was "quite forceful."

Now, after nearly two decades, we can affirm that Nagoshi's persistence has indeed paid off, as evidenced by the ongoing development of the series.

You can read the original report on Automaton here and don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.