Yakuza’s Dragon Engine is a ‘Bit Old,’ RGG Studio Boss Weighing ‘Merits’ of Unreal Engine 5 Shift

Since its introduction in 2016, Dragon Engine has played a key role in defining the look and feel of the series.However, Yakuza Studio [RGG Studio] Series executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama has confirmed that it’s time for a “major update.”

“Right now the Dragon Engine is a bit of an old engine. We’ve had a lot of minor updates over the years, or we’ve had a lot of minor updates but no major updates. So if we have to do something, it will probably be a major update next,” says Yokoyama.

The Dragon Engine has powered Yakuza Kiwami 2, Yakuza: Like a Dragon and the Judgment series since it was first introduced in Yakuza 6. Like a Dragon: Ishin is notable for being built with Unreal Engine 4. Does that mean a full transition to Unreal Engine 5 is included in the card?

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Talking about the challenges of modern console technology, Yokoyama says he’s not worried about graphics, which he sees as less of a leap than in the PS3 era. I’m worried about huge numbers.

“[R]Rather than aligning in terms of the challenges of adapting to a new generation of much more powerful technology, the main challenge is that we have so many platforms right now,” Yokoyama said. We have PC, Steam, Xbox and all sorts of things that our games can be configured in. So we want the opportunity to create games that can be used on all these platforms and share our games with others. People all over the world are the main challenges we want to face in the future and because of all of these different technologies we also want to try something unique I think it’s a bit of a secret whether we’ll do it or not.”

At least in Japan, I don’t think we’ll see a yakuza game on the Nintendo Switch anytime soon, which Yokoyama described in an interview as “something like a system for younger audiences.”

Either way, there are several Yakuza games in the pipeline right now, among them Like a Dragon: Ishin Remake, Like a Dragon 8, and a new side story featuring Kazuma Kiryu. “Ishin” is the first installment, and the release date is February 21, 2023.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s Senior News Editor and co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Any tips? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

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