Discover how Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth's lead designer, Michiko Hatoyama, transformed Dondoko Island into a sprawling minigame by smartly reusing past game assets. Dive deeper into the development process and the creative decisions behind this expansive feature.
Dondoko Island Game Mode: A Vast Minigame Experience
On July 30, Michiko Hatoyama, the lead designer behind Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, shared insights on how the Dondoko Island game mode evolved into a massive minigame. In an interview with Automaton, Hatoyama revealed that the initial concept for Dondoko Island was much smaller but unexpectedly grew during development. She remarked, “At first, Dondoko Island was a little smaller, but it kind of grew larger before we knew it.” This led RGG Studio to enhance the minigame by adding a plethora of new furniture recipes.
The Art of Editing and Reusing Past Assets
RGG Studio leveraged the extensive asset library from the Yakuza series to significantly expand the furniture options in Dondoko Island. Hatoyama highlighted that the reuse of these assets allowed them to craft individual furniture pieces “in a matter of minutes,” a process that traditionally could take days or even a month. This efficient approach enabled the team to quickly introduce a wide variety of furniture, enriching the gameplay experience.
The decision to expand Dondoko Island's size and add more furniture stemmed from the desire to offer players fresh and engaging ways to enjoy the game. By providing a larger island and an extensive list of furniture recipes, players are given the freedom and joy of turning a once-neglected garbage dump into a luxurious five-star island resort.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, released on January 25, 2024, has been warmly welcomed by both long-time fans and newcomers. As the ninth mainline entry in the Yakuza series, excluding spin-offs, it boasts a rich repository of assets that can be creatively repurposed for future projects. Dondoko Island stands out as a testament to RGG Studio's innovative use of resources, offering players countless hours of enjoyment as they craft their ideal island resort.
