Gang of Dragon really looks like the Yakuza series got 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 this is part of why the upcoming Gang of Dragons looks so promising.

Revealed at The Game Awards 2025, the game will be the debut release of Nagoshi Studio, a development house formed by Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi. Its pedigree and talent pool, not to mention a tough movie trailer, certainly paint an enticing picture.

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

How similar is Gang of Dragon to Yakuza?

Sure, some of the comparisons are made between Yakuza and Gang of Dragons are aesthetic, as not much information has been revealed about the latter aside from the aforementioned Game Awards trailer. That said, it's not too much of a leap to say that Gang of Dragonss cinematic narrative, small open world, and organized crime all have significant crossover with Yakuza.

Gang of DragonsThe reveal trailer hints at a touch of grit and melodrama, showing the audience a “you messed with the wrong guy” scene, where arrogant thugs attack Shin Ji-seong and immediately regret it. I can't stop thinking about it Yakuza when I watch this scene: its direction, dialogue, pacing, and structure make it feel like so many similar interactions starring Kiryu, Majima, or Ichiban. When Ji-seong appears on the busy streets of Tokyo after the showdown, we get a glimpse of Kabukicho, where players will spend most of their time in the game.

This brings us to another parallel between the two IPs: Nagoshi chooses to set Gang of Dragons in just one district of a city, rather than trying to make the map as sprawling as possible. This small, dense world design is a base in Yakuzaso it's not surprising that Nagoshi would continue to develop the approach in this new project. The smaller setting may also inform the story, which centers on Ji-seong's conflicts and relationships with Tokyo factions as a Korean criminal agent. It is possible that the story will have a particular focus on smaller, more intimate relationships and elements of the micro-community, just like its Yakuza predecessor.

Will Gang of Dragon really be like “GTA in Japan”?

Yakuza can define Gang of Dragonss development pedigree, but audiences have also been quick to point out the game's apparent Grand Theft Auto inspiration too. Just like Yakuza comparisons, this observation will likely be more convincing once we see extended gameplay, but there is already credence to it. Really, Gang of Dragons has the makings of a multi-faceted, gritty and violent crime sandbox experience that wouldn't feel out of place alongside Rockstar's crime-action franchise.

Perhaps Gang of DragonsThe main departures from RGG's games are its inclusion of weapons and cars, which do not usually appear in Yakuza, Like a dragonor Judgment titles. Of course, they is at the center of each Grand Theft Auto game. It will be interesting to see how this approach differentiates the overall story and tone of the Gang of Dragons from Yakuza game, as one can imagine that the former will be much more lethal than the latter. You don't really kill people Yakuzabut that probably won't be the case in God.

Even Shin Ji-seong himself feels emblematic of this 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 intimidating stature to great effect in action films such as Train to Busan and Roundup; it looks like the players will handle it themselves Gang of Dragons. That is, Shin Ji-seong can be more violent and punishing, with or without weapons, than his Yakuza counterparties.

With Gang of Dragons being the first release from Nagoshi's new studio, it's a bit of a toss-up how similar it will be to its forebears. On the one hand, Nagoshi might want to make the game significantly different from anything he's done before, since he probably has the creative control and experience to do so now. Alternatively, Nagoshi Studio may choose to play it safe with their first release, for the purpose of making Gang of Dragons polished and well-crafted, but familiar.