Sega Unveils New Virtua Fighter In-Engine Footage

Summary

• Sega has released new in-engine footage of the upcoming Virtua Fighter game.
• This will be the franchise's first new entry in nearly 20 years.
• Development is being handled by Sega's Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

Sega recently unveiled new footage showcasing the visual style of its latest Virtua Fighter installment. The franchise has been largely dormant for almost two decades, with only remasters of Virtua Fighter 5 released since its last wholly original entry. Beyond a commemorative physical release of Virtua Fighter 2, the most recent major release was Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown, a PlayStation 4 and Japanese arcade remaster (also coming to Steam in January 2025).

First shown during NVIDIA's 2025 Consumer Electronics Show keynote, the short video depicts a simulated fight sequence. While impeccably choreographed—more like a Sammo Hung film than actual gameplay—the in-engine footage offers a glimpse into the game's potential visual style. With other major fighting franchises recently releasing new titles, Virtua Fighter's return promises to make the 2020s a significant decade for fighting games.

New Virtua Fighter Footage Highlights Evolving Visuals

The footage, while not actual gameplay, utilizes in-engine graphics, providing a realistic preview of the finished product. The visuals represent a departure from the series' hyper-stylized, polygonal origins, moving towards a more realistic style that blends elements of Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6. The trailer features Akira, the franchise's iconic character, in two different outfits, notably without his classic bandana and spiky hair.

Sega's Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, also responsible for the Yakuza series (starting with Yakuza 5) and the Virtua Fighter 5 remaster (alongside Sega AM2), is leading development on both the new Virtua Fighter and the announced Project Century.

Details about the new Virtua Fighter remain scarce beyond project director Riichirou Yamada's earlier comments on the game's direction. However, Sega's commitment to revitalizing the franchise is evident in these ongoing reveals. As Sega President and COO Shuji Utsumi declared during the VF Direct 2024 livestream, "Virtua Fighter is finally back!"