Yakuza Creator Speaks Out On GTA

Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi has given his opinions on the Grand Theft Auto series.

The Sega R&D head, speaking in a recent forum, referred to Grand Theft Auto as a game in which players "kill people or do whatever."

"I thought one day someone is going to have to make something like this," said Nagoshi. "Personally, because I think you must think about the influence games have on people, I would never think about wanting to make a game like this. However, because of the moral issues in this game, I think we should have a healthy debate."

"In gaming, if you make a decision, there is a reaction, and it's the most stimulating form of media, I think," he explained. "And thus, it can asked [sic] if it's the most dangerous media... Depending on what you make, perhaps."

It's not entirely clear whether Nagoshi is talking about the moral impact a game like GTA may have on a mind, or whether he's referring to the lack of consequences the open-world segments have, but it's an interesting position to take nonetheless. Thanks to Kotaku for the translation.

Despite the comparisons, it's worth noting that Yakuza and the GTA series aren't entirely alike save that they both have open-world segments and that they both put you into the role of a criminal. They are, however, both top-notch series. Here's hoping we'll see Yakuza 3 over here before long.

The next bit of GTA we'll see will be the second DLC expansion for GTAIV, titled "The Ballad of Gay Tony." It's due out on 29 October.