RGG Studio, the developer behind the Like A Dragon series, intends for the inclusion of a digitally resurrected Tupac Shakur in its upcoming game, Stranger Than Heaven, to explore a hypothetical future for the artist. Masayoshi Yokoyama, RGG Studio head, stated in an interview with Game Informer that the aim is not to recreate Tupac as he was at the time of his death, but rather to imagine who he might be today if he were still alive.
This concept emerged from discussions surrounding the casting of Snoop Dogg as a character named Orpheus in the game. Yokoyama mentioned that Snoop Dogg himself brought up Tupac's name, highlighting their real-world relationship. The development team then sought approval from both Tupac Shakur's family and his estate to proceed with the digital likeness.
Yokoyama emphasized that the studio worked closely with Tupac's family throughout the process to ensure the portrayal was respectful to his legacy. "We wanted to say, 'Okay, if he was still alive now, thirty years later, how would he act? How would he express himself in that way? That's what we're trying to [do], not going into his past, but rather his potential future," Yokoyama explained.
The decision to include Tupac has drawn scrutiny, particularly given that Stranger Than Heaven is set in various points of 20th-century Japanese history, predating Tupac's birth in 1971. Critics have questioned the historical context for exploring a hypothetical modern-day Tupac within this setting. The development team acknowledged the complexities surrounding the approval process, noting that Tupac's estate executor, Tom Whalley, is also involved in an ongoing legal dispute initiated by Tupac's sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, concerning the management of Amaru Entertainment.