'Like a Dragon' Reuses Assets for Dondoko Island Furniture

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth's Dondoko Island: A Minigame Built on Recycled Assets

The expansive Dondoko Island minigame in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth wasn't always so ambitious. Lead designer Michiko Hatoyama recently revealed in an interview with Automaton that the island's scope significantly increased during development. Initially conceived as a smaller feature, it blossomed into a substantial undertaking. This expansion was fueled by a clever strategy: reusing and repurposing existing game assets.

The key to Dondoko Island's impressive scale lies in asset recycling. Hatoyama explained that the team efficiently created individual pieces of furniture in "minutes," a stark contrast to the days or even months typically required for new asset creation. This was possible thanks to the vast library of assets accumulated throughout the Yakuza series. By leveraging these existing resources, RGG Studio rapidly expanded the game's furniture recipes, significantly enhancing the Dondoko Island experience.

The decision to expand Dondoko Island and its furniture options stemmed from a desire to offer players engaging and varied gameplay. The extensive island and its numerous furniture recipes provide players with considerable freedom to transform the initially desolate island into a thriving paradise.

Released on January 25, 2024, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has been well-received, and Dondoko Island stands out as a testament to RGG Studio's efficient asset management. The minigame's considerable size and replayability demonstrate the potential of strategic asset reuse in game development, offering players countless hours of island-building fun. The game's success, as the ninth mainline entry in the Yakuza franchise (excluding spin-offs), further underscores the wealth of assets available for future projects.