Yakuza Spin-off Reuses Assets for Dondoko Island Furniture

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s lead designer discussed the importance of editing and repurposing past assets in Dondoko Island. Read on to learn more about how and why they expanded this minigame.

Dondoko Island Game Mode is a Substantial MinigameThe Art of Editing and Repurposing Past Assets

On July 30, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s lead designer Michiko Hatoyama discussed how the Dondoko Island game mode expanded significantly despite its minigame origins.

In a recent interview with Automaton, Hatoyama explained that the initial Dondoko Island concept was less ambitious, but its development took an unexpected turn. Hatoyama noted, “At first, Dondoko Island was smaller, but it expanded unexpectedly.” RGG Studio enhanced their design by incorporating numerous additional furniture recipes into this minigame.

RGG Studio repurposed existing assets to augment the quantity of furniture recipes in Dondoko Island. Hatoyama revealed they produced individual furniture items “in minutes,” whereas typical asset creation might consume days or even a month. The extensive asset library from the Yakuza series allowed the team to swiftly generate and integrate a vast array of furniture into Dondoko Island.

Adding more furnishings and expanding Dondoko Island's area stems from the idea of providing players novel and invigorating ways to enjoy the game. The expansive island and the extensive list of furniture recipes give players more liberty and delight in transforming this waste dump/island into a five-star island resort.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was released on January 25, 2024 and was favorably received by fans and new players alike. It is the ninth mainline entry of the Yakuza series, not counting the spin-offs, ensuring that there are many assets to utilize and integrate in their future games. For a minigame, Dondoko Island is immense in scale, and players can spend countless hours creating the best island resort thanks to RGG Studio’s efficient use of their game assets.