Gang of Dragons really looks like the Yakuza series given a Grand Theft Auto makeover

Yakuza is one of the most iconic and prolific franchises in gaming, at least in the single-player space, and it's why the upcoming Gang of Dragons Looks very promising.

Revealed at The Game Awards 2025, the game will be the debut release of Nagoshi Studios, the development house. Yakuza Producer Toshihiro Nagoshi. Its pedigree and talent pool, not to mention a tough-as-nails cinematic trailer, paint an enticing picture indeed.

Gang of Dragons follows Shin Ji-seong, a hulking beast of a man who holds a high position in a Korean crime syndicate operating out of Tokyo. Shin's adventures take place in Kabukicho, Shinjuku's real-world nightlife and entertainment district, and will involve organized crime politics, colorful characters, and many other J-drama tropes. Yakuza and Like a dragon series. but Gang of Dragons Ryu Ga Gotaku's sandbox promises to expand the franchise's mechanical repertoire, ultimately creating an experience that's surprisingly similar. Grand Theft Auto and other western crime games.

How similar are Gang of Dragon and Yakuza?

Yes, some comparisons have been drawn between Yakuza and Gang of Dragons The beauty is, as not much information has been revealed about the latter, aside from the aforementioned Game Awards trailer. That said, it's not much of a leap to say Gang of DragonsThe cinematic story, small open world, and organized crime premise all have significant crossover Yakuza.

Gang of Dragons’s reveal trailer suggests a touch of grit and melodrama, showing viewers a “you messed with the wrong guy” scene, where arrogant thugs attack Shin Ji-seong and immediately regret it. I can't help but think Yakuza When I watch this scene: its direction, dialogue, pacing, and structure feel like many similar interactions starring Kiryuu, Majima, or Ichiban. Once Ji-seong appears on the busy Tokyo streets after the showdown, we get a glimpse of Kabukicho, where players will spend most of their time playing.

This brings us to another parallel between the two IPs: Nagoshi is choosing to set Gang of Dragons Instead of trying to make the map as wide as possible, only in one district of the city. This is a staple of small, dense world design YakuzaSo it's not surprising that Nagoshi will continue to develop visions in this new project. The small setting may also inform the story, which is about Ji-seong's conflicts and relationships with Tokyo gangs as a Korean criminal operative. It is possible that the story will focus exclusively on smaller, more intimate relationships and micro-community elements, such as this Yakuza predecessors.

Is Gang of Dragon really going to be like 'GTA in Japan'?

Yakuza can define Gang of Dragons's development pedigree, but viewers have also been quick to point out the game's ambiguity Grand Theft Auto Inspiration too. Like Yakuza Comparatively, this observation will likely become more compelling once we see extended gameplay, but it already has credibility. in fact, Gang of Dragons It doesn't feel out of place alongside Rockstar's crime-action franchise.

maybe Gang of DragonsThe most significant departures from RGG's games include guns and cars, which don't usually appear. Yakuza, Like a dragonor justice Titles. Of course, they do are At the center of each and every one Grand Theft Auto the game It will be interesting to see how this approach changes the overall story and tone Gang of Dragons since Yakuza Games, as one would imagine the former is going to be more deadly than the latter. You don't actually kill people YakuzaBut this probably won't be the case GoD.

Even Shin Ji-seong himself feels this is the epitome of a more brutal and unforgiving fashion. He is played by legendary Korean-American actor Ma Dong-seok, also known as Ga Dong-seok and Don Lee, who is easily recognizable by his massive, wall-like physique. He uses this fearsome stature to great effect in action films Train to Busan and Roundup; It seems that players will use it on themselves Gang of Dragons. That is, Shin Ji-seong can be more violent and punishing than he is with or without a gun. Yakuza equivalents.

with Gang of Dragons Being the first release from Nagoshi's new studio, it's a bit of a toss-up as to how similar it is to its progenitors. On the one hand, Nagoshi wants to make the game very different from anything he's done before, because he now has the creative control and experience to do so. Alternatively, Nagoshi Studios could choose to play it safe with their first release, aiming to make Gang of Dragons Polished and well made, but familiar.