Stranger Than Heaven director says RGG 'intentionally' forgot about Yakuza to create 'something new' 'Every single aspect of it, we started thinking about it from scratch, just to suit the style of Stranger Than Heaven'

Date:
Wed, 21 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Description:
Stranger Than Heaven director Mikinobu Abe has explained why the game was developed as a completely new experience from RGG Studio's Yakuza franchise.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Stranger Than Heaven director Mikinobu Abe says the game was always going to be different from the Yakuza
or Like A Dragon games Abe says, "There was no conversation whatsoever about what Yakuza or Like A Dragon was like" He adds that RGG Studios "never compared" Stranger Than Heaven to its past titles, so it became "something new" Stranger Than Heaven director Mikinobu Abe has explained why the
upcoming role-playing action game was developed as a completely new
experience from RGG Studio's Yakuza franchise.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming, Abe said approaching Stranger Than Heaven was "a big task" and a "huge challenge for us," but knew "from the
very beginning that we wanted to make this experience different from the previous games." Unlike the Like a Dragon games, which typically take place
in one location and timeframe, Stranger Than Heaven shifts to a historical timeline by telling a story across five distinct eras and cities spanning 50 years. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

It's an ambitious decision for RGG, but Abe said the team intentionally
forgot everything it knew from making the Yakuza series to create something new.

"While we were developing Stranger Than Heaven , there was no conversation whatsoever about what Yakuza or Like A Dragon was like," Abe said. "We intentionally forgot what it was like in our previous games and started from scratch. We were doubting every single pixel of what we had in Yakuza ." You may like Stranger Than Heaven preview: all the makings of a unique off-beat adventure from RGG Studio Afterworld director explains the fantasy post-apocalyptic setting, and the pub trip that inspired the game 'There was never really any big plan that these two games would both release next to
each other' FromSoftware president suggests a return to single-player games after Nightreign and The Duskbloods

This included everything from the game's map, the UI, and how RGG wanted to approach the world; Abe said it even applied to the narrative and cutscenes, and the team "never compared" Stranger Than Heaven to its past titles.

"Every single aspect of it, we started thinking about it from scratch, just
to suit the style of Stranger Than Heaven," he added. "We were never trying
to make this different because we never compared it with our previous games, so in the end, it became something new." Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Stranger Than Heaven launches on January 15, 2027, for PS5 , Xbox Series X and Series S , and PC. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button! The best gaming consoles All the best consoles of this generation

Read our full guide to the best gaming consoles 1. Best overall: PlayStation 5 Slim 2. Best budget: Xbox Series S 3. Best handheld: Nintendo Switch 2 4. Most powerful: PlayStation 5 Pro



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/stranger-than-heaven-director-says-rgg-intent ionally-forgot-about-yakuza-to-create-something-new-every-single-aspect-of-it- we-started-thinking-about-it-from-scratch-just-to-suit-the-style-of-stranger-t han-heaven


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)