Kotaku: Toshihiro Nagoshi

Dudes of Japan, This Guy Wants You To Play His Game

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:20:00 EST

You might not know Toshihiro Nagoshi. But once you see his face, you'll never forget it. More »

This Yakuza: Dead Souls Trailer is a Feeding Frenzy

Pierre Bienaimé — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:30:00 EST

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SEGA's new trailer for the zombie-ridden Yakuza: Dead Souls skips the foreplay of human connection and solidarity. The shambling hordes come first, picking their way through Tokyo's red light district with a hunger for human flesh… and bone marrow, and organs, and brains. More »

This Man Will Die Working For Sega

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 02:00:00 EST

Today's Shigeru Miyamoto news shows that not even the biggest names in development are around forever. One man, though, plans on sticking around forever. One very brown man. More »

Modern Technology Brings Us Computer-Controlled, Passive-Aggressive "Friends"

Brian Crecente — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EDT

In gaming vernacular the consequences of one's actions are usually marked in body count, or regime changes, or city destruction. So I'm not expecting the consequences that I see unfold in a gunfight in the middle of a future Tokyo: Hurt feelings, obstructionism and... sulking? More »

Sega Forms New Studio Just to Make Gangster Games

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:30:00 EDT

Sega's Toshihiro "Brown Man" Nagoshi, the creator of the Monkey Ball series, has revealed today that he's formed a new studio at Sega which will deal exclusively with games for the Ryu ga Gotoku (Yakuza) series. More »

But What Will the Yakuza Man Say?

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 07:30:00 EDT

Tomorrow, Sega's Toshihiro Nagoshi, developer of Yakuza games and lover of tanning beds, is making a "serious announcement"—perhaps a brand new title? Dunno, sounds serious. Still, this is an announcement of that announcement. Consider yourself announced! [ファミ通] More »

The Robopocalyptic Story of Binary Domain

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:40:00 EDT

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This is the story of Binary Domain, a cautionary tale of a rise of the robots wrapped around a cover-based, third-person shooter. It's a game I was pretty neutral on after playing at E3 2011, but potentially good sci-fi fodder. More »

There Were Two Things I Liked About Binary Domain, the Robot Shooter From the Yakuza Guys

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EDT

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Of the many, many violent shooters on hand at E3 2011, one of the few I chose to play was Sega's Binary Domain. It is not as awe-inspiring as BioShock Infinite or Battlefield 3, but it did at least two things that made it memorable. More »

Yakuza Designer Sniffing a White Line

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 07:30:00 EDT

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Toshihiro Nagoshi, who picked making video games over making porn, took a whiff of "Black Dragon" cologne, which is doing an in-game collaboration with the upcoming Yakuza: Of the End. More »

Make Games Or Porn? He Picked Games.

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:00:00 EDT

Back before Sega game designer Toshihiro Nagoshi turned golden brown, he was just another kid from rural Japan, moving to Tokyo, trying to make it big. More »

Why Zombie Yakuza Game Is Being Delayed So Long

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 08:45:00 EDT

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Zombie parody game Yakuza: of the End was slated for release on March 17. Then, the unthinkable happened; on March 11, an earthquake and an ensuing tsunami laid waste to Japan's northeast. The game, which depicted a city in ruins (pictured), was one of many delayed out of respect to the victims. More »

Dress Like A Yakuza For Only $900!

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 07:00:00 EST

Ever wonder why thugs turn to a life of crime? Maybe it's because their threads cost so damn much. More »

New Sega Shooter Is Already Out Of Ammo

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 04:00:00 EST

The developers behind the Yakuza crime series are working on a sci-fi title called Binary Domain. It's a pre-rendered trailer with robots, shooting and bad dialogue. But, hey, robots. More »

Yakuza Developers Blasting Off For Space Game

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 05:00:00 EST

Toshihiro Nagoshi, the producer behind the Yakuza franchise, is moving from the gritty urban streets of Japan to somewhere more celestial: space. More »

Celebrities And Developers Mark Super Mario's 25th Anniversary

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 05:00:00 EDT

This year is the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. In the latest issue of game mag Famitsu, top game designers like Metal Gear Solid's Hideo Kojima and celebrities like popstar Mari Yaguchi congratulate the title. More »

Yakuza Producer Looks Browner On Television

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EDT

Toshihiro Nagoshi is known for two things: Being very brown and making video games. He looks even browner on television. More »

Sega's Handling Of Its Next Yakuza Game Is Looking Good

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:40:00 EDT

The last Japanese mobster game that Sega released for the PlayStation 3 came to North America noticeably scathed. Missions were missing, as were hostess clubs and any semblance of box art integrity. Fortunately, things are lookin' up for Yakuza 4. More »

Who Is The Japanese Game Industry's Biggest Drinker?

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:30:00 EDT

I bet it's been tearing you up inside to find out who the Japanese game industry's biggest drinker is, so here's a hint: think brown. More »

Which Of These Girls Do You Want In Yakuza?

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 06:00:00 EDT

Sega is working on another new Yakuza game. Know what that means? Time to audition more hostesses. More »

What Do Japanese Developers Think Of The Nintendo 3DS?

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 06:00:00 EDT

And not *just* Japanese developers, but some of the biggest names in the business. More »

A Patent Alligator PSP Case Fit For A Yakuza

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:40:00 EDT

Now that Sega's Japanese gangster series is kicking its way to the PSP with Yakuza: Black Panther, Sega is obligated to make a custom case.... in faux patent alligator! It's part of the Yakuza: Black Panther limited edition package. [Andriasang] More »

There Is Another New Yakuza Game (Endless!)

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 06:00:00 EDT

Ack! More »

New Yakuza 3 Trailer Is Full Of Hot Yakuza Action

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:20:00 EST

Sega confirmed earlier today that the rumors of Yakuza 3's Western release were true, announcing a March 2010 release date for the PlayStation 3 gangster game. This new trailer, with English peppered throughout, offers further proof. More »

Yakuza Creator On Grand Theft Auto

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT

SEGA's PlayStation franchise Yakuza (Ryu Ga Gotoku) has often been called "The Grand Theft Auto of Japan". Like GTA, players are in large urban environments in an underworld setting. That doesn't mean designer Toshihiro Nagoshi is a fan, though. More »

Yakuza Designer, Your Customer For A Day

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:00:00 EDT

Bar girl magazine Koakuma Ageha (yes, Japanese night club hostesses have their own mag!) is running some sort of contest. You've never guess what present number 19. Well, you might! More »

Yakuza Game Developer Working On New Games

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:00:00 EDT

Toshihiro Nagoshi, creator of Super Monkey Ball and Yakuza, is the head of R&D at SEGA. He's got a real nose for game development. No wonder he's hard at work on new titles. More »

Which Girls Are In Yakuza 4? Well, A Porn Star Is...

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EDT

Japanese game maker is making a new Ryu Ga Gotoku (aka Yakuza in the West) and held a cattle call for those females hoping to appear in the game. More »

Ryu Ga Gotoku 4 Bar Hostess Voting Has Ended

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:00:00 EDT

One more audition to go! SEGA has been running an online poll for upcoming PS3 exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku 4, allowing folks to vote for their favorite candidate. More »

SEGA Details Yakuza 4

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:00:00 EDT

Ryu Ga Gotoku (Yakuza in the West) series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi has already announced that he and his team are hard at work on a new title in the franchise. More »

What Does Brown Man Think of Dragon Quest IX?

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:00:00 EDT

That's Toshihiro Nagoshi. He makes those Yakuza games and created Super Monkey Ball. Amazing tan aside, he's also just like 2.3 million other Japanese people. More »

Porn Actress In The Running For New Yakuza Game

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:30:00 EDT

SEGA held a cattle call for its upcoming Yakuza game with an open audition. Women with experience as cabaret hostesses were encouraged to apply. One finalist has more experience than that. Much more. More »

These Ladies Might Be In New Ryu Ga Gotoku (Yakuza)

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

SEGA has started holding "hostess" auditions for an upcoming Ryu Ga Gotoku (aka Yakuza) game. More »

You Got Good Hostess Bar Stories? SEGA Wants 'Em

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:00:00 EDT

SEGA isn't just looking for actual bar hostesses (or hostess "types") for an upcoming Ryu Ga Gotoku (AKA Yakuza). Oh no. SEGA is looking for night club cabaret stories. More »

SEGA Already Developing New Ryu Ga Gotoku (Yakuza)

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:30:00 EDT

Going on sale last February, Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) has shipped over half a million copies in Japan. It's a hit, and SEGA is hard at work on another entry in the franchise. More »

Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) Sells 372,000 Copies

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:00:00 EST

Toshihiro Nagoshi, designer of SEGA's Ryu Ga Gotoku, hinted that the game sold 300,000 copies. It's sold more, way more. Just released official numbers put it at 372,000 copies sold. More »

PS3 Exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) Sold 300,000

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:00:00 EST

PS3 exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) went on sale February 26. How'd it do? Let's hear what its designer, the very tanned Toshihiro Nagoshi, has to say: More »

Ridiculously Tanned Game Designer In Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 Ad

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:00:00 EST

The latest Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) ads don't just feature gameplay, but a bigger selling point — well, for us at least. More »

Ridiculously Tanned Game Designer On... Tanning

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

GAH! That's Toshihiro Nagoshi, creator of upcoming PS3 exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku 3, explaining why he enjoys toasting his leathery tanned skin. More »

Golden Brown Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 Earns Best Cross Promotion Of The Year

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 05:00:00 EST

Toshihiro Nagoshi, designer of Ryu Ga Gotoku 3, is very brown. It's like he spends all his free time in a tanning salon or something. The game's latest promotional tie-up should be no surprise: More »

You Too Can Meet Ryu Ga Gotoku 3's Designer

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

That's commenter Bellamy and SEGA fashion plate and Ryu Ga Gotoku designer Toshihiro Nagoshi. Bellamy met him! You too can meet Nagoshi. Bellamy? Well... More »