Yakuza Creator Reveals His Brand New Game, Gang of Dragon, and It's Going to Be Fierce Competition for Like a Dragon

Toshihiro Nagoshi, the creator and former producer of the Yakuza series, has officially unveiled his latest game at The Game Awards 2025: Gang of Dragon. The gritty, 2-minute trailer was one of the many world premieres revealed at last night’s Game Awards ceremony. And if the brief cinematic action is anything to go by, it looks like Nagoshi could be about to give his former franchise a serious run for its money with his newest title.

For twenty years now, the Yakuza series has been a staple of the action-adventure/crime genre. The critically acclaimed franchise has spawned more than 20 sequels, spin-offs, and remakes in its two decades on the market, with Nagoshi being at the helm of many of them. However, in 2021, the beloved developer parted ways with SEGA and RGG Studio, alongside fellow producer Daisuke Sato. Nagoshi would go on to form his own studio, Nagoshi Studio Inc., which has been quietly developing its first game for the last four years. While there’s still no release date for Nagoshi’s first game since leaving RGG Studio, we do finally have an official trailer, and it looks like it’s going to give Yakuza a serious run for its money.

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Gang of Dragon Receives Official Reveal Trailer

During last night’s yearly Game Awards ceremony, Gang of Dragon received its very first trailer. While there doesn’t appear to be any gameplay shown, the trailer does give off some serious Yakuza vibes. Nagoshi’s first title since founding his own studio is an action-adventure game set in Kabukicho, the iconic nightlife district of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Gang of Dragon follows the story of Shin Ji-seong (portrayed by Ma Dong-Seok), who is a high-ranking member of a Korean crime syndicate based in Kabukicho. Shin becomes entangled in underworld conflicts and forges intense, human connections that push him to confront his own sense of purpose.

According to Nagoshi Studio, Gang of Dragon is a third-person game that is centered on the overwhelming power of the game’s main protagonist, Shin Ji-seong. Much like the iconic Yakuza series, Gang of Dragon features brutal hand-to-hand strikes, precise blade attacks, gunplay, and high-impact vehicle action across the city. Sadly, the trailer didn’t reveal a release date for the title or which platforms it would be coming to. As development has been ongoing for a few years now, fans may hopefully find out more about this highly anticipated game in early 2026.

If Gang of Dragon intends on launching early next year (which seems unlikely given that we’re in the final few weeks of December), it’s going to have to go head-to-head with the next Yakuza game. Back in September, SEGA and RGG Studio revealed Yakuza Kiwami 3, a full remake of the original Yakuza 3 with updated graphics and gameplay. The remake will also be bundled with a new spin-off title known as Dark Tides, both of which will launch for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC on February 12, 2026.

Outside of what will likely be some big competition between Gang of Dragon and the Yakuza series, it was another massive night for gaming fans around the world as The Game Awards was filled with some huge reveals. PS5 exclusive Saros showed off an epic new trailer with a short release date delay, Lara Croft returned in style with the announcement of a new Tomb Raider game and a remake of the original 1996 title, Resident Evil Requiem confirmed the worst kept secret in gaming, and Star Wars fans were left blown away by the reveal of Fate of the Old Republic, a new action RPG helmed by Casey Hudson.