A recent interview with Automaton reveals the surprising secret behind the success of the Like a Dragon/Yakuza games: healthy conflict. The development team at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio embraces disagreements as a crucial element in crafting high-quality games.
Like a Dragon Studio: Conflict Fuels Creativity
Embracing the "Fight" for Quality
Series director Ryosuke Horii shared that internal debates are not just common, but actively encouraged. He explained that these "in-fights," far from being detrimental, are viewed as a vital part of the creative process. The key, Horii emphasizes, is effective mediation. "If a designer and a programmer clash, it's the planner's role to step in," he stated. The goal isn't to avoid conflict, but to channel it constructively.
Horii stressed that disagreements are essential for achieving a superior product: "Without arguments and discussions, the result is often mediocre. Therefore, we welcome these 'fights.'" However, he clarified that the process must be productive. The planner's responsibility is to guide the team towards a positive resolution, ensuring that conflicts lead to tangible improvements.
The studio's approach prioritizes the merit of ideas over their origin. "We judge suggestions based on their quality, not the team proposing them," Horii explained. This open-mindedness is balanced by a firm commitment to quality control. "We also ruthlessly reject weak ideas," he added, emphasizing the importance of robust debate and constructive "battles" in the pursuit of excellence.
