Innovation at the Core of New Virtua Fighter Game

During a recent interview, New Virtua Fighter Project Producer Riichiro Yamada and Head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Masayoshi Yokoyama talked about what’s at the core of the fighting game series and its upcoming new entry. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

While talking about what’s at the core of the Virtua Fighter series, Yamada discussed its origins. The developer said that he belongs to the generation that saw the type of movement in fighting games that started with the Virtua Fighter series. Because of having experienced that, Yamada said that he researched and tried to unravel what’s at the core of that game and following titles, and found that what has been maintained throughout the Virtua Fighter series has been “innovation.”

Yamada pointed to being tied to this idea of innovation that the team was unable to produce a numbered Virtua Fighter sequel. The producer added that it’s easier said than done when it comes to innovation, and that it used to be simpler in the arcade cabinet days. However, as the gap between arcade games and home consoles narrowed, it became more difficult.

In a previous part of the interview, the developers were asked if they thought the Virtua Fighter series had a chance at success nowadays, due to the rising popularity of Tekken and Street Fighter and their latest entries. To this, Yokoyama said that, as long as it is developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the game will have strengths that no other rival fighting game will have, whether it is the drama, the direction, or the ability to create an entire city.

The New Virtua Fighter game is currently in development by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. There are no announced platforms nor release date yet.