Nagoshi Studio – the developer founded by Yakuza and Super Monkey Ball creator Toshihiro Nagoshi – has been shut down.
Following the release of series semi-reboot Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Lost Judgement, Nagoshi departed Sega after an over 30-year career at the company, founding Nagoshi Studio alongside Yakuza series director Daisuke Sato. The NetEase studio remained pretty quiet until The Game Awards in 2025 where its debut title Gang of Dragon was unveiled with a trailer starring Train to Busan and soon-to-be Physint star Ma Dong-seok.
Earlier this year, reports emerged that NetEase was pulling funding on the game after reportedly discovering it would need an extra 7 billion yen in funding, following the developer's YouTube channel and website being taken down, as well as Sato changing his Twitter bio to say ex-Nagoshi Studio, leaving the game and studio's future in doubt. Now, just over five years since Nagoshi left Sega, a notice posted in Japanese government gazette Kanpo (via Gematsu) confirms that Nagoshi Studio was dissolved on October 31.
NetEase has been pulling back on investments over the last year or two, with Worlds Untold – founded by Mass Effect writer Mac Walters – and Jar of Sparks – founded by former Halo lead Jerry Hooks – having their funding pulled. Meanwhile, Suda 51-founded Grasshopper Manufacture self-published its most recent title – Romeo Is a Dead Man – despite being owned by NetEase, with the studio splitting from the publisher to go independent just over a month ago.
Neither Nagoshi or the studio has been active on social media since the start of the year, so no official word has been made by the developer.
