Virtua Fighter Developer Comments On Competing With Tekken and Street Fighter

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Summary

  • The Virtua Fighter franchise is making a big comeback for its 30th anniversary with a fresh release of Virtua Fighter 5 for PC and a brand-new main series entry.
  • The new Virtua Fighter game is being made by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.
  • Developers plan to revitalize the series by adding distinctive features.

As a lifelong enthusiast of the fighting game genre, I can’t help but feel a surge of nostalgia and anticipation with the return of the legendary Virtua Fighter series. Having grown up playing the original games on my Sega console, it’s simply mesmerizing to see how far this franchise has come in its 30-year journey.

As a passionate fan of the Virtua Fighter series, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement as we gear up to celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary! The legendary producer, Riichirou Yamada, has shared his thoughts on competing with other iconic fighting game franchises like Street Fighter and Tekken.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio unveiled a sneak peek of the latest installment in the Virtua Fighter series at The Game Awards in December. The brief trailer showcased a fighter resembling Akira Yuki, one of the franchise’s mainstays, engaging in combat within a house, defeating an adversary and later facing off against Stella, who bears a striking resemblance to Sarah Bryant, another longtime character. While details about the upcoming Virtua Fighter game are scarce, fans are excitedly speculating that it might be a soft reboot, progressing the storyline with both familiar faces and newcomers, much like Street Fighter 6.

In a recent conversation with Famitsu (thanks to EventHubs for the translation), producer Riichirou Yamada discussed the return of the renowned 3D fighter and its competition against Capcom and Bandai Namco. Yamada admitted that fighting games have significantly advanced in the 2020s, making it difficult for Virtua Fighter to re-emerge. To tackle this challenge, Yamada explained that the developers aim to create a game that exceeds the competitive and realistic foundations of Virtua Fighter. Therefore, the main objective of the project is not only to be a competitive title but also to attract many people by offering an engaging experience.

Virtua Fighter’s Plan to Compete Against Street Fighter and Tekken

When questioned about how they intend to distinguish Virtua Fighter from other popular fighting games like Tekken and Street Fighter, Masayoshi Yokoyama, the producer at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, outlines their approach to revitalizing the game. This strategy is similar to how the studio created the Like a Dragon/Yakuza series by blending action-adventure elements with Japanese nightlife culture. In essence, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s strategy for Virtua Fighter appears to involve building upon the game’s foundation and incorporating unique features to set it apart. For instance, they are planning to introduce a new story mode, as the original games did not focus heavily on plot development.

Masayoshi offered insights on both the mechanics and action of “Virtua Fighter,” praising its realistic feel over RGG Studio’s primary series. However, he also suggested that this realism could work to its advantage, by enhancing the visual appeal of the upcoming game. Excitement for the next iteration of “Virtua Fighter” is growing among fans.

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2024-12-27 21:55