According to the person in charge, Virtua Fighter’s past, present and future

It feels like there has never been a better time to become a Virtua Fighter fan. I've loved this series since its inception and have seen it again in Evo 2025 after a long absence. Both Virtua Fighter 5 Revo and The upcoming new Virtua fighter game Having been extensively displayed at the event, the excitement in the fighting game community and in the series beyond has never felt strong.

The current and upcoming games appear on the show, and we have the opportunity to chat with Seiji Aoki, the head of SEGA’s Legacy Virtua Fighter Team and Riichiro Yamada, who is working on the new Virtua Fighter Project.

One of SEGA's announcements on EVO is the VF5 Revo version of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S version, now titled VF5 Revo World Stage. The title is not just a ride on a multi-brand rebranding-it will get many new updates like cross-platform games, where the Crown Jewelry is a brand new, dedicated single-player experience similar to the mission modes in Virtua Fighter games in the past.

I've been surprised by Aoki's efforts and his team have been updating and revitalizing this classic title, seeing the new single player mode clearly shows that they've been listening to the player's feedback to add to this addition. However, one thing I still need to know: So what about all the extra character customization projects and decorations for Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown?

“We hear from players that more items they want to see in previous releases,” Aoki said. “So, in World Stage mode, there is a tournament. As you go, you will be able to earn some custom items. I do feel like there is a need for more new items, but for the moment, there are no plans.”

One element of the Virtua fighter has been strengthening the game is community engagement. In addition to opening up the official discord and hosting the Global Championship series, the team has been voting on topics like the controllers they use, what type of stages they don't like, and it's important – a poll of global role popularity, the results show on the official VF website.

I asked if the Aoki poll gave anyone any surprises. We did have the first game of VF5 Revo in Chicago, Frosty Faustings, and polled around. Seeing the players there, I really feel that Japan’s relatively unpopular characters tend to be very popular in the West. For example, AOI is very popular, Brad is very popular, Eileen is very popular, and Eileen is very popular. (and) Sarah is interesting, and I think that is reflected in the polls as well. ”

With the launch of VF5 Revo, the game is in its first major balance update in more than a decade. Does the team use polls, online play data and other analytics to determine how to play the game?

“We're not really thinking about such things as who makes who is weaker or stronger, but rather putting everyone at a similar level.” “How do we balance the roles and keep what makes them different? Previously, many players said Taka-Alasi was too strong. But we tried not to make him particularly weak, but to lift everyone to his level.”

Aoki also said that further adjustments are unlikely in the near future. “There is no plan for change at the moment. But as time goes by, we might say, ‘Oh, maybe we should make some balance changes when the timing is right.’ But there is no plan at the moment.

While the title of Virtua Fighter is a sub-game in many Yakuza/like Dragon The Dragon titles, the official series compilation has never happened. I wonder if Aoki's Legacy Virtua Fighter Team has ever considered the release of Capcom's combat-style Virtua Fighter and SEGA-like fighting games, such as the Battle Vipers series and Last Bronx. “I definitely saw these compilations and ideas, ‘We should do something like this.’ … To do so, in addition to bringing new fans, we can bring back old fans.”

And VF5 revo There is a complete match As part of the EVO expansion lineup, many VF players in the event want to see the new Virtua Fighter project. Sega didn't disappoint, with a breath of cheer and awe (and my crazy screams) at the game show debut at EVO Arena on the final day. As my expectation continues to be on the fever, I long to chat with Yamada producer Riichiro to discuss the upcoming game.

Although only a few characters have been shown so far, characters like Akira and Wolf have seen some big changes. They also appear to be significantly older, potentially indicating the passage of time in the VF world. I asked Yamada if she could tell us more about these changes. “We can't say much yet, but yes, time has passed. The VF5 is set up around 2006. This game is not a parallel world or alternative universe, it's based on a certain timeline.”

Yamada also elaborates on how they approached character design this time: “So, so far, these characters have been designed based on combat styles, and each character has short stories. We are now redesigning them based on their way of life, and they are fighting for them based on their way of life, why they are fighting for them. That's the new approach we're taking.”

One of the most well-known elements of what has been shown so far – this is the buzz caused by the trailer shown by the EVO game – it is the realism and fluidity of combat animation, such as characters with unique guardian animations. “We really want people to see the changes we make,” Yamada said. “So far, Virtua Fighter may be considered very simple, not very flashy. But, we don't want to change it too much – we want a cool, flashy sense of reality. Change it, but don't lose its essence.”

“In the process of creating this game, I kept thinking, ‘What can we improve? What can we evolve? What can we improve?’ When I was a kid, I used to watch these movies and made their battles look really exciting.

“I don’t know how users will respond until these trailers are released,” he continued. “But I’m really happy to see everyone like it and seeing the players excited.”

Compared to other fighting games, Virtua Fighter's control scheme is simpler, with three main buttons and skills. There is only one game in the series – Virtua Fighter 3 – it is important to change the control scheme by adding a fourth button. With some clear visual changes made to the new Virtua Fighter, I wonder if the game will try anything new with the control scheme. “We're trying a lot of different things when we're trying to play the game,” Yamada replied. “But VF was originally an arcade game with intentionally simple controls. Fist-to-fist is easy for the player to master. So while I can't provide specific details, the concept that came to mind was 'anyone can play anyone can easily play without any pressure.'''''

This is the game of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, a team known for its storytelling ability and character building – this time this time takes the story very seriously compared to previous champions. “Previously, VF lacked narrative in-game. Again, I can't say much, but I hope people are looking forward to how we put narrative and game elements on the finish line.”