Low-level Yakuza guy in Shinjuku at night trying to recruit girls on the street. Dude keeps approaching different girls, talking them up… but they’re not interested and just keep walking away. Buddy struck out all night.

Toshihiro Nagoshi, the creator of the Yakuza series, recently appeared in a new Famitsu magazine article and was referred to simply as a game creator with no mention of Nagoshi Studio. This comes after reports that NetEase had stopped funding the studio. The project reportedly needed a lot more cash to get finished. The team was said to be looking for another $44 million to keep development going. Since then, the studio has gone quiet. It has stopped posting online, its website has gone offline, and there is still no word on what is happening with Gang of Dragon.

Nagoshi Studios, the company founded by Yakuza series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi, has permanently closed. The studio’s Google business listing in Tokyo’s Ebisu district now displays a “Permanently closed” notice. NetEase ended all funding after determining that the studio’s debut project, Gang of Dragon, would require an additional ¥7 billion (around $44 million) to complete. No new publisher or investor was secured. The studio’s official website is now offline, its YouTube channel has been deleted along with all trailers and related content, and there has been no official statement from Nagoshi or the company.

GSC Figure Update! Good Smile Arts Shanghai Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Nendoroid Goro Majima: Captain Majima Ver. Stay tuned for more information coming soon! #goodsmile#