A recent interview with Automaton reveals the surprisingly productive internal dynamics at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the creators of the Like a Dragon/Yakuza franchise. The team embraces healthy conflict and debate as a key ingredient in crafting high-quality games.

Like a Dragon Studio: Conflict Fuels Creativity

Embracing the "Fight"

Series director Ryosuke Horii shared that disagreements are not just common but actively encouraged within the studio. He explained that these "in-fights," particularly between designers and programmers, are seen as opportunities for improvement. A skilled planner's role is to mediate these discussions, ensuring they lead to constructive outcomes. Horii emphasizes that the goal isn't conflict for conflict's sake, but rather productive debate that results in a superior final product. "Fighting is meaningless without a fruitful conclusion," he stated.

The studio's approach prioritizes the merit of an idea over its origin. Horii highlighted that suggestions are judged solely on their quality, regardless of the team proposing them. This commitment to quality extends to a willingness to reject substandard ideas, ensuring only the best concepts make it into the final game. The process, Horii explains, involves vigorous debate and "battles" all in service of creating a truly exceptional game.