NetEase Puts Yakuza Creator's New Game On A Chopping Block

"Bloomberg reports that NetEase is planning to stop giving Nagoshi Studio more money starting in May, writing that Gang of Dragon was seeking an additional $44.4 million in funding in order to reach the finish line and actually ship the open world action game."

"Boosted by successful co-publishing contracts with Blizzard, NetEase has thrown a lot of its money around the gaming world, rapidly consolidating many industry veterans into new startup studios in the late 2010s. This has included BioWare's Casey Hudson and Square Enix's Ryosuke Yoshida and City of Heroes' Jack Emmert, each of whom were allowed to form new studios under the NetEase umbrella, both of whom have since left following cut funding."

"Gang of Dragon bears obvious resemblances to his work with Sega, though seemingly paring down the goofiness of recent sequels and casting Korean superstar Ma Dong-seok as the lead. It was one of the bigger reveals at the 2025 Game Awards, though as we've recently seen such prestige is hardly protection from book balancing."

Toshihiro Nagoshi unveiled Gang of Dragon at the 2025 Game Awards, his first project since leaving Sega to join NetEase. The crime action game resembles Yakuza but with heightened brutality and stars Korean actor Ma Dong-seok. However, NetEase is reportedly halting funding in May, with the game needing an additional $44.4 million to ship. This reflects NetEase's broader retreat from gaming investments despite previous aggressive expansion. The publisher previously funded studios led by industry veterans like Casey Hudson and Ryosuke Yoshida, most of whom departed after funding cuts. NetEase's gaming strategy has shifted dramatically following initial success with Marvel Rivals and other co-publishing ventures.

Read at Kotaku