Toshihiro Nagoshi, creator and former producer of the long-running Yakuza video game series, which is approaching its 20th anniversary (the first Yakuza game was released in 2005 for the Playstation 2) has certainly made his fair share of sprawling, epic games — with the Yakuza games being no exception to the rule.
That might not be the case with the debut game in Nagoshi’s newly formed Nagoshi Studios however; he wants his first game to be one that’s easy to get into and thinks that in general, the age of a video game’s size being the number one priority is coming to an end.
“I want to make a game that is fun to play, but isn’t too much of a hassle,” Nagoshi said in an interview with Famitsu.
Toshihiro Nagoshi during an interview
“Even though there aren’t many completely original games now, if you include overseas games there are so many titles out there that it’s impossible to play them all.
“Looking at the situation, I think that the number of console games in the lives of ordinary game fans may be a little excessive. There are still many titles being released, but I feel that the era of games where the size is the selling point is coming to an end.”
In fact, when it comes to his current project, Nagoshi is currently in the process of trimming it down to better balance the game and to make it less repetitive, the latter of which is outdated in the modern gaming landscape.
“This time, while researching existing games, we started by making a fairly large map with roads and highways,” said of the progress on his new studio’s inaugural offering. “Now we are gradually shrinking it down and exploring the best balance for the game.”
“You could fill it in with some element to create a sense of density,” Nagoshi continued, “but it’s not modern to have similar experiences repeated over and over again.
Nagoshi hasn’t revealed too much in the three years since he founded Nagoshi Studios on what exactly their first game will be, but has hinted in past interviews that he won’t stray too far from the formula to which his current success can be attributed.
Yakuza game series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu/Sega
“Of course, I can’t reveal too much about our game yet, but I can give a rough idea: It will definitely contain violence as a game element, but I don’t want to go too much in the direction of thriller or even horror.”
Nagoshi revealed that he’d like Nagoshi Studio’s first game to be an action-adventure that’s filled with violence, but also balanced with humor as well, like a Tarantino film.
“I want my game to be more like a Quentin Tarantino film – so there can be humor,” he added. “Something that’s just intimidating or just bloody and brutal doesn’t suit my taste – I want a human touch, a bit of silliness and a bit of seriousness, that’s what I’m in the mood for at the moment.”
What do you think of the fact that the Yakuza series creator says games will be judged less by their size in the future? Do you agree with his design philosophy or should the size of a video game continue to be prioritized in terms of getting the most value for your money? Let us know in the comments.
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