Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s lead designer discussed the significance of editing and reusing past assets in Dondoko Island. Read on to learn more about how and why they expanded this minigame.
Dondoko Island Game Mode: A Massive Minigame
The Art of Editing and Reusing Past Assets
On July 30, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s lead designer Michiko Hatoyama shed light on how the Dondoko Island game mode evolved into a massive minigame. In an insightful interview with Automaton, Hatoyama revealed that the initial vision for Dondoko Island was more modest. However, as development progressed, the scope expanded significantly. Hatoyama remarked, “At first, Dondoko Island was a little smaller, but it kind of grew larger before we knew it.” RGG Studio elevated their original plan by incorporating a greater variety of furniture recipes into this minigame.
RGG Studio leveraged the art of editing and reusing past assets to enrich Dondoko Island with an extensive array of furniture recipes. Hatoyama emphasized that the creation of individual furniture pieces was remarkably swift, often completed "in a matter of minutes," contrasting with the usual timeline that could span days or even a month. The vast repository of assets from the Yakuza series allowed the team to efficiently generate and integrate numerous furniture options into Dondoko Island.
The decision to expand Dondoko Island’s space and add more furniture was driven by the desire to offer players fresh and engaging ways to experience the game. The expansive island and the extensive catalog of furniture recipes empower players to creatively transform the once garbage-laden island into a luxurious five-star resort.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, released on January 25, 2024, garnered positive feedback from both long-time fans and newcomers. As the ninth mainline entry in the Yakuza series, excluding spin-offs, the game boasts a rich collection of assets that RGG Studio can utilize and integrate into future projects. For a minigame, Dondoko Island stands out with its vast scale, allowing players to dedicate countless hours to crafting the ultimate island resort, thanks to RGG Studio’s ingenious asset management.
