Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth's Recycled Assets Furnish Dondoko Island

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 became enormously popular despite its minigame status.

In a recent interview with Automaton, Hatoyama explained that the initial plan for Dondoko Island was not so extensive, but its development took an unexpected turn. Hatoyama noted, “At first, Dondoko Island was somewhat smaller, but it expanded considerably before we realized it.” RGG Studio enhanced their plan by incorporating more furniture recipes into this minigame.

RGG Studio repurposed past assets to augment the number of furniture recipes in Dondoko Island. Hatoyama shared that they produced individual furniture “in a matter of minutes,” whereas typical asset creation might require days or even a month. The extensive library of game assets from the Yakuza series allowed the team to swiftly create and integrate numerous furniture items 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 refuse 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 enormous in scale, and players can spend countless hours crafting the best island resort thanks to RGG Studio’s efficient use of their game assets.