Toshihiro Nagoshi's Nagoshi Studio Shuts Down
The studio was developing Gang of Dragon, a Yakuza-style crime drama, before NetEase ended funding after costs rose by 7 billion yen, Bloomberg reported.
- Nagoshi Studio, founded by Toshihiro Nagoshi, officially dissolved on Saturday, October 31, 2026, according to Japan's government gazette, Kanpo.
- NetEase Games cut funding for the 'Gang of Dragon' project in March after learning the title would require an additional 7 billion yen to complete.
- This closure follows a broader strategy by the Chinese giant NetEase to slim down its gaming portfolio and divest overseas investments since 2024, closing multiple international studios.
- Revealed at the 2025 Game Awards, 'Gang of Dragon' was a Yakuza-style crime drama starring Ma Dong-seok, featuring a realistic and violent take on gangster life in Tokyo's Kabukicho district.
- The studio failed to secure a new backer after NetEase's withdrawal, ending Nagoshi's independent venture following over 30 years at Sega creating the Yakuza franchise.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Yakuza Creator's Gang of Dragon PS5 Game and New Studio Officially Dead
Dissolved days ago on 31st October.Gang of Dragon, the Yakuza-esque title Toshiro Nagoshi planned to make with a newly set-up developer under NetEase, will never see the light of day. Nagoshi Studio has now officially been closed, as of 31st October 2026.This news had been expected for some time, as reports dating back to March 2026 detail publisher NetEase pulling its funding. The game had only been revealed a few months prior at The Game Award…
Nagoshi Studio Is Officially Dissolved as of October 31, Ending Ma Dong-seok's Gang of Dragon Before It Ever Got Close to Shipping
The proverbial writing has been on the wall for some time, but it's now official: Nagoshi Studio has been shut down for good. The game development studio based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, was dissolved by a shareholders' resolution on October 31, as reported in the Japanese government's Kanpo Gazette. The studio was established in November 2021, following the departure of its titular founder, Toshihiro Nagoshi, from SEGA earlier that year. However, the …
Nagoshi Studio shareholders agreed to dissolve the company on October 31, according to a report based on the Official Gazette of Japan. The closure comes after NetEase stopped financing the study in May and leaves GANG OF DRAGON unconfirmed continuity.
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