Game Producer Daisuke Satō Leaves Nagoshi Studio

Daisuke Satō, a prominent game producer formerly with Nagoshi Studio, has updated his social media profiles to describe himself as “ex-Nagoshi Studio.” This marks a clear sign that Satō has left the company he helped lead since its founding.

The change was first spotted following the release of the July 2/9 issue of Weekly Famitsu. In a special feature, the magazine lists Satō as a game developer rather than a producer affiliated with Nagoshi Studio. Meanwhile, the studio’s official website has been inaccessible since June 22.

Nagoshi Studio was established in January 2022 by Toshihiro Nagoshi and Daisuke Satō. The studio gained attention for its project Gang of Dragon, which was announced at The Game Awards in December. Despite the excitement, the parent company NetEase Games reportedly cut financial support to the studio in May. Bloomberg sources reveal that completing the game would require an additional 7 billion yen (about $44.4 million), prompting NetEase to reduce the studio’s game development activities.

Before founding Nagoshi Studio, both Nagoshi and Satō had long careers at Sega, notably contributing to the Yakuza series. Nagoshi left Sega in late 2021 after over three decades, and Satō followed a similar path.

The future of Nagoshi Studio remains uncertain, especially with key figures departing and the official site offline. However, the Gang of Dragon game is still listed on Steam, keeping fans hopeful for its eventual release.

As Satō moves forward, many watchers inside the industry and fans alike will be curious to see where the producer’s next steps take him. His role in shaping notable projects has left a notable mark, and his departure underscores ongoing changes in gaming development circles today.