Yakuza director thinks PS5’s evolution will focus on A.I. and machine learning

By Charles Singletary Jr. May 29, 2019

Yakuza series director PS4 ai machine learning evolution — Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s a new Yakuza title in development for PlayStation 4 and the game’s director had a few thoughts to share regarding the PS5 when discussing the upcoming title. Reported by Gematsu via Game Talk, Yakuza series director Toshihiro Nagoshi thinks that the next wave of console improvements will be focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning.

On the topic of the next Yakuza, Nagoshi says the story is done. The next title features Ichiban Kasuga, the new face that is taking after as the lead in the series following the conclusion of Kazuma Kiryu’s saga in Yakuza 6: Song of Life. Nagoshi says he’s surprised how well the game’s cast fits their roles and the team is in the process of recording. It’s not clear what specifically is being recorded, but it could be acting performances with motion capture or voice acting. Regarding the new lead, Nagoshi says he talks more than Kiryu and gives the story a different feeling.

“Therefore the overall feeling of the story is different, as well as the gameplay,” Nagoshi said. “It feels fresh in many ways. I really want to share more soon. It’s tough but development has been smooth.”

The Yakuza series has been largely exclusive to PlayStation platforms throughout its long history and the development team will likely be following up the Yakuza entry and spinoff title Judgement for PS4 with new titles sometime during the PS5’s lifecycle. Nagoshi, however, doesn’t think they’ll need to be a rush to develop PS5 titles. He believes “PlayStation 4 is going to be the main focus for a while longer” after the PS5 releases and he has an interesting take on what type of performance leaps we’ll see in PS5 games.

“First, there was a time when graphics improved, then there was network features, and now I guess you can say it’s a return to the “programmable” era,” he said. “I think artificial intelligence and machine learning will continue to evolve.”

The rollout for the PS5 should start sometime after April 2020 and we’ll likely see what the console is truly capable of sometime in the second wave of exclusive games.

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Charles Singletary Jr.

I'm a Birmingham, AL raised author, journalist, and gaming enthusiast currently residing in San Antonio, TX. My work has…

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