The originalVirtua Fighterwas a pioneer in the fighting game genre. Developed by Sega AM2 and released exclusively for arcades in 1993, the title gained notoriety not only because of its intuitive gameplay, but also its visuals, which were considered realistic at the time.Virtua Fightermay look rudimentary and basic by today’s standards, but back then, it was revolutionary. Sega’s renowned fighting game was the first in its genre to feature fully 3D polygonal graphics. This aspect ofVirtua Fighterwas a major selling point, and ultimately contributed to the game becoming a worldwide phenomenon in the 90s.
Virtua Fighterhas spawned multiple sequels and spin-offs over the years, from 1994’sVirtua Fighter 2all the way up to 2014’sVirtua Fighter: Fever Combo. Unfortunately, though, other than a few ports and enhanced re-releases, theVFfranchise has been dormant for quite some time. Recent rumors seem to suggest, however, that this may not be the case for long. The prominent insider Midori, also known as RyanFromTheBronx, alleged earlier this year that Sega was working on a new mainline entry in theVFseries, presumably titledVirtua Fighter 6. This report, coupled witha recent tweet from Sega that fans believe was teasingVF 6, has led speculation to run rampant about this unannounced game. If Sega is indeed working on this title, then the company’s revival ofVirtua Fightercould prove to be a bigger deal than some might expect.
A Virtua Fighter Revival Could Prove to be Very Successful
Evidence Suggests that Virtua Fighter 6 May Be in the Works
Rumors and teases aside, there are reasons to think that a newVirtua Fightergame is in development. Back in December 2023,Sega announced a new initiative to resurrect some of its legacy IPs. Among the franchises the publisher revealed would receive this reboot treatment wereJet Set Radio,Crazy Taxi,Streets of Rage,Shinobi, andGolden Axe. While it didn’t provide any specific details about the new installments in these dormant properties, such as their names or release dates, the firm did hint that even more classic Sega IPs would be brought back in the future, in addition to the aforementioned five.
It’s anyone’s guess as to what other franchises the company will decide to revive, but based off of recent comments from Sega COO Shuji Itsumi, one of them may end up beingVirtua Fighter. Shortly after Sega unveiled its plans for dormant series revivals in December, Itsumi revealed in an interview with the Washington Post that the Japanese publisher wasactively entertaining the idea of making a newVFgame. Taking all this into account, it seems like the chances ofVirtua Fighter 6happening are higher than ever before, which is especially great considering the renaissance the fighting game genre has been having as of late.
Sega Could Capitalize on the Fighting Game Boom With a New Virtua Fighter Game
Fighting games are becoming more and more popular throughout the years. Two of the biggest franchises in the genre,Street FighterandTekken, have been on a roll lately. Street Fighter 6, which released last year, was met with rave reviews and broad commercial success.Tekken 8, meanwhile, debuted in 2024 tonear-universal acclaim from critics, selling over two million copies just one month after its launch. If Sega does make a new, high-qualityVirtual Fightergame, it could end up standing toe-to-toe with these giants and potentially eclipsing them in one regard: approachability.
Virtua Fighter 6 Could Use Approachability to Its Advantage
If there’s one thingVirtua Fighteris known for besides 3D graphics, it’s having an accessible learning curve. Somany fighting games are hard to get intodue to their complex gameplay mechanics, but inVF’s case, that isn’t an issue. The control schemes in mostVirtual Fightergames are quite simple and easy to understand since general combat maneuvers typically only involve the use of three buttons and an 8-directional control stick. If a newVirtua Fightergame doubles down on this approachable gameplay philosophy that previous entries in the franchise had, it may appeal to a broader-than-usual audience, which could lead to it becoming one of Sega’s next big hits.
Virtua Fighter
Fight the bestmartial arts masters with over 700 precision moves! Unleash hair-trigger punch/kick combos, throws and crushing stomps!• Eight unique fighters- Each warrior has a personal fighting style, attack strength and special moves!• Rapid, realistic 360° combatwith 3-D polygon graphics!See the fighters from all sides!• Fluid animationslook just like real fighters! Get totally wrapped up in the action!Plus these NEW FEATURES only on Sega Genesis 32X!• Multiple camera angles- low, high and bird’s-eye view and more! Change angles in mid-bout!• See every bone-jarring hitagain in FULL MATCH REPLAY!• Customizeyour fighter’s clothing!• Fight in group competitionswith ALL NEW Tournament Mode!
