RGG Studio’s co-founder recently revealed that each Like a Dragon installment is treated as if it might be the series’ swan song, with no elaborate blueprint guiding the saga’s long-term direction.
This free-form approach empowers developers to infuse each entry with fresh mechanics, bold story detours, and inventive character arcs that might have been sidelined in a rigid master plan.
Yet this method also carries a certain risk: narrative threads established in one game can vanish or morph unexpectedly in the next, which may leave players craving more cohesive storytelling.
Unlike franchises that map out multi-game storylines years in advance, RGG’s willingness to course-correct on the fly stands out in an industry often obsessed with decade-long roadmaps.
From an artistic standpoint, building each chapter as a standalone experience encourages experimentation—resulting in unforgettable supporting characters, surprising gameplay twists, and settings that feel alive rather than predictable.
For the community, this uncertainty can be exhilarating: every release becomes a surprise package, sparking debates, fan theories, and genuine anticipation about where the series might head next.
In the end, crafting games one at a time may challenge traditional franchise planning, but it underscores RGG Studio’s confidence in creativity and responsiveness. This bold, moment-to-moment philosophy reminds us that sometimes the most memorable journeys emerge when you build the path as you walk it.
