Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has defended its decision to include Tupac Shakur as a character in the upcoming game Stranger Than Heaven. Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama said the choice came after working with Snoop Dogg on another character.
Yokoyama told IGN that the team first cast Snoop Dogg as the smuggler Orpheus. Snoop then suggested Tupac as a fitting addition, and the developers pursued the idea.
The studio obtained approval from Tupac’s estate and family after negotiations. Yokoyama noted that using the likeness of deceased figures is common in Japan, citing the use of actor Bunta Sugawara in prior work.
Yokoyama acknowledged backlash to the reveal but said criticism remains a personal freedom. He added that the team viewed the inclusion as a good idea that would add value to the game.
