LaD: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii - Interview

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Automaton Media interviewed the Like a Dragon series' executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama, chief producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto and producer Ryosuke Horii:

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Interview: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii's developers maintain the mindset of "plain ol' guys," and that's what makes the series so genuine

SEGA will release Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, the latest entry in the Yakuza series, on February 21 for the PC (Steam), PS4/PS5 and Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S.

The upcoming title was showcased at Tokyo Game Show 2024, where AUTOMATON interviewed the Like a Dragon series' executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama, chief producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto and producer Ryosuke Horii. We talked to them about the success of Infinite Wealth, what's new in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, as well as their down-to-earth approach to making games.

We put our all into Infinite Wealth, and we have no regrets
─Before we dive into your upcoming title, I'd like to hear your impressions of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. I believe reviews and sales were strong, but looking back, what would you say you did well? Or, on the contrary, do you have any regrets?

Masayoshi Yokoyama (hereafter Yokoyama):
Let's see, the things we did well and the things we regret... Is there even anything I regret? I don't think so.

─Oh?

Everyone:
(laughs)

Hiroyuki Sakamoto (hereafter Sakamoto):
Same here. I really feel like we were able to give our all in making Infinite Wealth. We packed in everything we wanted the RPG to have, both in terms of volume and gameplay, and I think the final product came out really close to the team's vision. As a creator, it feels really rewarding to have not only made the game as it was envisioned, but to have also received recognition for that effort.

Ryosuke Horii (hereafter Horii):
Looking back, I'm sure there are some small things in there that would bother me now, but I put my all into the game and have no regrets. I still feel a sense of accomplishment about it as a creator, and with all the praise Infinite Wealth has received, I think it's a good game and I'm glad to have made it.

Yokoyama:
If we're talking about small details to reflect on, there's bound to be a bunch of them. However, behind those details lie various factors such as our budget, development schedule, and the condition of our staff members, right? But looking at the project as a whole, including the quality of the game itself and other aspects like marketing - we have no regrets, and nothing to reflect on.

However, I'd like to mention that each time we hold a demo event, livestream, game showcase or fan meeting, we have in-depth evaluation meetings where we analyze things in so much detail you'd be surprised (laughs).

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