Like a Dragon... in Roblox? Sega's Handing Over the Keys (But Only to Responsible Karaoke Fans)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Sega's letting Roblox creators make official *Like a Dragon* games, but only if they've already proven their karaoke-loving credentials and promise to stick to the canon – which begs the question: can we get a blocky rendition of Kiryu belting out *Baka Mitai*, please?
Alright, so here's a head-scratcher that just landed on my desk: Sega's apparently partnering with Roblox to let creators build official *Like a Dragon* spin-offs. I know, right? It's like finding out your grandma's secretly a Yakuza boss – unexpected, but potentially awesome.
According to Rock Paper Shotgun, (cheers, Mark Warren!), Roblox is launching something called a "Roblox License Manager." Basically, it lets big companies license their IPs (think *Squid Game*, *Saw*, and even *Twilight*... yes, *Twilight*) to Roblox creators, who then build games and split the Robux revenue. Sega, bless their chaotic hearts, have thrown *Like a Dragon* into the mix.
Now, before you start dreaming of Kiryu doing the *Oedo Router* in blocky form, there's a catch (of course, there's a catch). Sega isn't just letting anyone run wild with Kamurocho's finest. They're only offering the license to established Roblox creators who've *already* made an unofficial *Like a Dragon* game that pulls in over 1,000 daily active users. So, you’ve got to prove you can handle the heat of the Dragon Engine before you get to play with the real toys. Smart move, Sega. Smart move.
And here's the kicker: any official *Like a Dragon* Roblox game *has* to stick to the series' established canon. We're talking plotlines, character arcs, locations – the whole shebang. As Sega themselves put it (via Game Developer), “While we encourage creative expression, please make sure your works stay true to the world and lore as portrayed in these canonical entries.” So, no Kiryu teaming up with sparkly vampires to fight alien invaders (at least, not officially).
They are giving the creators who meet those criteria a 50/50 revenue split on the Robux their Like A Dragon game generates, after platform fees are taken into account. Which, actually, isn't too bad. Netflix is only offering game-makers a 15% revenue share on the likes of Squid Game via this licencing initiative, though they also aren't gating access behind a daily user number requirement.
All of this is happening against the backdrop of Roblox's, shall we say, *complicated* relationship with its creators. There have been accusations of exploitation and unfair revenue splits, especially when dealing with younger developers. So, while the idea of official *Like a Dragon* Roblox games is intriguing, it's worth keeping an eye on how Sega and Roblox treat the creators involved. Will it be a fair deal, or just another way for big corporations to profit off the backs of young talent? Time will tell, mate.
In the meantime, I'm personally hoping to see a Roblox version of *Baka Mitai*. Because, let's be honest, we all need more karaoke in our lives.
Tags: Like a Dragon, Roblox, Sega, Gaming News, Spin-off
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun