'Yakuza' was "flat out rejected" by Sega because they didn't see the appeal.
Yakuza - Like A Dragon
The franchise's creator Toshihiro Nagoshi has opened up about the iconic title's early days, with the 'Like A Dragon' series - known as 'Yakuza' in the West - first appearing nine years ago, during a time where Japanese games weren't dominating the sales charts.
In the latest Nicks Picks video, Nagoshi said: "This led to a mindset of making games that would appeal to the masses, games that could sell anywhere and to anyone. Many producers, including myself, thought this way.
"But this mindset wasn't really leading to a solution, and I saw many game proposals gradually become watered down as producers bent over to change things the way management instructed them to."
When 'Like A Dragon' was initially pitched to Sega, they turned down the idea outright.
He recalled: "It was flat out rejected. After all, it was completely contrary to what I mentioned earlier about attracting the masses.
"Children wouldn't be able to play it, and it wasn't catered to women nor overseas audiences. In this sense, there was no way for it to be approved without resistance."
However, he had faith that the game's identity would help make it a success, but it was a "forceful" journey to get it approved by Sega.
It was also important for Nagoshi that they found the right tone, by making sure it didn't affirm violence despite its subject matter.
He explained: "I wanted it to be a game that makes you want to do your best to live another day, I remember reminding people of this frequently."
The latest game in the series 'Infinite Wealth' sold one million unites in its first week, becoming the franchise's biggest ever launch on Steam.
Meanwhile, the overall franchise had sold 21.3 million units by November 2023.