TheLike a Dragonfranchise has grown immensely in recent years, with the IP finally breaking into the more mainstream attention of Western audiences while doing a lot to retain the attention of its more longstanding fans. Despite the huge amount of change that the franchise has experienced over the past decade or so, there are still some parts of the series that have lingered for close to a decade.
From a technical perspective, fans of theLike a Dragonfranchise have become deeply familiar with the IP’s Dragon Engine, with this first being introduced in 2016 and redefining the feel and fidelity of the series' characters and combat. Despite how ingrained the Dragon Engine has become for the modern look and identity of theLike a DragonIP, some recent comments from Ryu Ga Gotoku higher-ups suggest that the time of the Dragon Engine could potentially come to an end in the near future.
A Move Away From the Dragon Engine Would Be the End of a Bittersweet Era for Like a Dragon
There are not many franchises as longstanding and popular asLike a Dragonthat have undergone as much noticeable change, with the IP even officially rebranding away from theYakuzaname that it had been associated with for so long. This rebrand largely coincided with a massive core gameplay shift for the IP, withLike a Dragonremarkably shifting from its iconic beat-em-up combat to turn-based JRPG gameplay, with this being a testament to how the franchise can experience such sweeping changes while maintaining its core identity.
Prior to this, one of the most noticeable shifts for the franchise came with 2016’sYakuza 6, with this being the first title in the series to use and showcase the now-iconic Dragon Engine. Purposefully built forLaDgames, the Dragon Engine redefined core aspects of the IP such as physics, with ragdoll and environmental destruction physics being two clear areas of massive change compared to the games prior toYakuza 6. Of course, the Dragon Engine also offered more seamless exploration between internal and external locations, while offering a noticeable graphical improvement that has worked well withthe story and cutscene-rich experiences of mostLike a Dragonreleases.
The Dragon Engine has now defined theLike a DragonIP for eight years, being used for almost every franchise release followingYakuza 6in 2016.Like a Dragontitles are now clearly and obviously characterized as belonging to the times before or after the move over to the Dragon Engine, andrecent comments from Ryu Ga Gotoku seemingly suggest that a new era could be ushered into the IPin the near-future.
Like a Dragon’s Ambitions May Have Outgrown the Dragon Engine’s Capabilities
Yutaka Ito, the Technical Director of Ryu Ga Gotoku, recently spoke with Automoton, stating his desire and ambition for the franchise to move away from the restrictions of the Dragon Engine for future releases, with particular thinking to the technological advancement that a bespoke fresh game engine could have on modern hardware. It is true thatthe lofty modern ambitions of theLike a Dragonseriesare somewhat limited to a 2016 game engine, with the fairly infamous physics bugs that the Dragon Engine can foster being another clear reason behind the franchise potentially looking for a fresh start.
Ito also stated how his comments are not a direct reflection of Ryu Ga Gotoku’s official plans, but it does seem likely that the thirst for evolution that theLaDfranchise possesses could see the introduction of a brand-new game engine sooner rather than later. It is fascinating to think of whatthe next steps ofLike a Dragonmight bewhen and if this new game engine is rolled out, but it will still be sad to see the Dragon Engine laid to rest due to the unforgettable titles that the engine has powered since its debut eight years ago.
