NetEase cutting back on gaming, removes funding from Gang of Dragon studio

The game was revealed just months ago, and already Nagoshi Studio is left hung out to dry without a sponsor.
Text: Alex Hopley
Published 2026-03-09

NetEase Games, the publisher behind Fragpunk, Where Winds Meet, and of course the mega hit Marvel Rivals, is looking to shrink its overall operation. As part of that, tens of millions of dollars have been cut from Nagoshi Studio, the developer of the upcoming action crime game Gang of Dragon.

According to Bloomberg, this came after NetEase discovered the developer would need another $44 million in order to complete the project. Nagoshi Studio isn't giving up on bringing Gang of Dragon to life, but has so far been unlucky in finding another sponsor to help fund the game.

Revealed months ago, at The Game Awards, Gang of Dragon immediately drew the eyes of Yakuza fans, as it looked to give us another great lot of explosive action centred in the heart of Tokyo. With Ma Dong-seok in the lead role, too, it seemed like the game certainly could have found an audience. Sadly, it's going to have to find another publisher and sponsor before it can think about anything like sales.

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