We at NerdLeaks are tracking troubling signals around Nagoshi Studios and its debut title Gang of Dragon. Take everything here with a pinch of salt, but the picture painted by recent reports is worrying: studio co-founder and director Daisuke Sato is now identifying himself as "ex-Nagoshi Studio,Inc" on his Twitter/X bio, and that update arrives amid a string of funding and operational problems allegedly tied to NetEase, per Kotaku.
What Was Reported
According to Kotaku, a series of developments have put Nagoshi Studios in a precarious position. Key points reported include:
- Daisuke Sato listing himself as "ex-Nagoshi Studio,Inc" on Twitter/X, suggesting he is no longer with the company.
- Reports from earlier coverage that NetEase was pulling back from many gaming investments and had pared back marketing support for Gang of Dragon.
- Claims that in March, reports surfaced saying NetEase would stop funding Nagoshi Studios in May and that the studio was seeking an additional $44.4 million to finish and ship Gang of Dragon.
- Operational hiccups reported more recently: a temporary YouTube-channel disappearance in April that caused a fan kerfuffle, a company website going inactive about a month ago, and the studio's offices being listed as "permanently closed" on Google.
- Kotaku also notes that a new trailer for Gang of Dragon appeared at The Game Awards this past December, even as questions about funding lingered.
We’re not presenting these items as definitive facts; they’re the elements Kotaku has compiled and that we’re watching closely.
The Source & Credibility
Per Kotaku, the timeline stretches back to initial concerns first reported in February of 2025, when NetEase was said to be reducing its gaming investments. Since then the situation has reportedly escalated, with the March-to-May funding claims and the more recent signs of inactivity and staff departures.
Take this with a grain of skepticism: Kotaku has reached out to both NetEase and Nagoshi Studios for comment, but public confirmation from those parties isn’t part of the public record cited. The most concrete, visible change we can point to is Sato's Twitter/X bio update — a public-facing signal that’s hard to dispute, if you accept the screenshotable evidence.
In short, some datapoints are direct and observable, while others are based on reporting and alleged internal discussions. We’re cautious about turning these into certainties.
What It Could Mean
If what’s been reported is accurate, a few scenarios seem possible — none of them encouraging for fans of Gang of Dragon or the studio’s founders.
- Loss Of Creative Leadership: Daisuke Sato listing himself as "ex-Nagoshi Studio" could indicate a formal departure of a director-level figure. If true, that would leave the project without one of its founding creative leads.
- Funding Shortfall Risks: The reported need for an extra $44.4 million to finish and ship Gang of Dragon, combined with alleged funding stops from NetEase, suggests a significant financing gap — if those numbers and claims are accurate.
- Operational Wind-Down Signs: An inactive website and a Google listing marking offices as "permanently closed" are the kinds of public indicators that often precede a studio shutdown or a long pause in operations, if they reflect reality and are not clerical errors.
Again, we emphasise “if true” and “allegedly” — there are still unanswered questions and no definitive public statement from the studio or its backer has been included in Kotaku’s reporting.
Why This Matters
For players watching Gang of Dragon, this is more than industry gossip: it concerns whether a high-profile new crime epic will complete development and reach stores. For developers and observers, the story — if accurate — is a reminder of how fragile studio ventures can be when reliant on external backers.
We at NerdLeaks will continue to monitor any confirmation or clarification from Nagoshi Studios and NetEase. For now, treat these reports as a cautionary rumour: interesting, potentially alarming, and in need of verification. We’ll update readers as verifiable facts emerge.
