Nagoshi Studio is reportedly ceasing operations and entering legal liquidation proceedings, with its first game project, Yakuza Gang, also reported as canceled. Related news stated that the decision to liquidate was made at a shareholders' meeting on October 31, 2026, but this has yet to be confirmed by company registration documents, a NetEase announcement, or an official game cancellation statement.
This Japanese studio was founded in 2022 by Toshihiro Nagoshi, creator of the Yakuza series. After leaving Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, Nagoshi assembled this new team with support from NetEase Games.
Nagoshi Studio unveiled a cinematic trailer for Yakuza Gang at The Game Awards 2025, positioning it as a new generation of high-budget crime action games. In March 2026, reports emerged that the project was facing development difficulties and required an additional $44.4 million to complete; NetEase management deemed further investment uneconomical and subsequently halted funding to the team. In the following months, several key designers and senior developers publicly announced their departures.
Currently, the Steam page for Yakuza Gang is reportedly still labeled "Coming Soon." While some sources interpret the studio's entry into legal liquidation as confirmation of the project's cancellation, this is not an officially announced conclusion; Toshihiro Nagoshi himself has not yet commented on future plans.