OFFICIAL VF5 PS3 Exclusive

It is really unfortunate that VF just doesn't have the fanbase that Tekken has. Personally, I'm hoping that they'll be a shift in the market when VF5 comes out. Graphically, it's really amazing, so perhaps that will encourage more people to try it out.

VF just takes so much time to get good at, and as gamers get older, it's more and more difficult to devote time. Plus VF just in general has attracted an older demographic in the states.

Without support, players just won't get any satisfaction from the game. That's why NAVF has to do its best with sites like vfdc (thanks Myke and ice-9!!) and connect players as much as we can. I know that we all want the convenience of online matches, but because lag makes such a huge impact on VF, it's pretty much a moot point to expect online play that can live up to our expectations.

Personally, I'm optimistic! I'm hoping that PS3 will sell well, that casual people will pick up VF5 because of it's nice visuals and then realize that it's not all flash. Maybe a few of those people will search for more info, find VFDC, and join our community. Being a great looking game will really help our cause, even though most people outside VF laugh at the campy lines.

My only only only wish, is that SEGA makes it so VF5 can be upgradable. IE, if a new version comes out in Japan, we could download that new version to the hard drive on our PS3 and update stats, add moves, etc. I'm guessing that's a lot to ask for, but that's really what I consider next-gen content. I'd be willing to pay 10 bucks for something like that (as long as it's not a miniscule update).

Anyway, I'm stoked! Looking forward to the future!

 

Maddy said:

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there's virtually no market in the western world for VF. There's no reason for them to take us into consideration in terms of marketing decision although that's what we hope for.

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I can't understand why people say things like this anymore, because it's just false, and the sales #s prove it. VF4 Evo on PS2 outsold in the US alone by about 10 times what it did in Japan. Original VF4 sold huge #s as well, and was put on the cover of the official US playstation magazine with a bold title that read "The Best Fighting Game Ever Made". That's just in the US. These things have been said over and over, and they're TRUE.

A game which doesn't warrant release stateside would be something like AM2's remake of VF2 for the PS2, or a military strategy sim based on Japanese History from Koei (which are huge there), or Tokyo Bus Driver. These are games which just wouldn't sell. That's why they AREN'T released here. The sales #s for VF outside of Japan on console are on par with games that are thought of as "hits", in the 500,000-1,000,000 sales range. Notice that this week Sega announced PS3 VF5 for markets outside of Japan? Do you think they're doing it as some labor of love, even though they're gonna loose money? They're going to make tens of millions of dollars on PS3 VF5 outside of Japan. that is a FACT.

Saying that they shouldn't put it on the 360, since that system is dead in Japan, that makes sense in one way of thinking about things. Saying that the arcade scene outside of Japan doesn't warrant upgraded cabinets, that also makes a certain kind of sense. I don't agree w/ those ideas, but they can be argued well. Saying there's "virtually no market in the western world for VF" makes no sense: approx 1 million PS2 customers in the US alone. By comparison, it's said that there are about 100,000 hardcore VF fans in Japan. Even if only 5% of those customers in the US are hardcore, Sega should care. Any good bussiness doesn't ignore any portion of their customer base.

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I agree with you on Sega not caring about western players. That's a valid point, but we need to suck it up and deal with it

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this is the real reason we're not getting VF5 in the arcade. And we should suck it up? Why? There are Lindburgh games in my local arcade as we speak. There's an imported FT machine. There are tons of huge, expensive Racing, Dancing and Music game cabs that cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. And there's no Tekken, no Soul Calibur, no DOA. This arcade bothered to get EVERY version of VF4, most with card readers.

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Forget it spotlite, VF is dead in America. After 5, vf will be nothing more than another typical mashfest fighter.

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I don't agree with this, either, homie.

When I moved to LA, there was no VF scene here. That was during VF3, and this website had one board, Versus City, where about 30 people discussed VF3. Look at it now. We have a huge scene for the US, this board has grown by leaps and bounds, as has the VF fanbase outside of Japan. The UK, other parts of Europe, Australlia, China, Korea, New York, LA, Ohio, Colorado, Louisiana... people have built communities around the game where 5 years ago there was nothing. Most of these scenes started around an arcade machine, and many of the bigger ones continue there, around an imported FT machine. VF went from being dead for real to having a life again. And Sega made millions, PERIOD. Now they'll throw all that momentum away.

Now everyone outside of Japan will sit and wait as Japanese players gain one full year of practice with the game before the rest of us get to play at all. All the while talking about community, as they ignore fans worldwide. Talking about how the game is designed strictly for the arcade, as they release it console only in 95% of the world. As they sell the rest of the Lindburgh games to arcades everywhere without a hitch.

And people say stop complaining about things we have no control over, that Sega has no contol over. That's one of the dumbest things I've heard in the history of this board. Squeaky wheels get grease kids. We can "suck it up" or do something about it. There ARE people who care, here, in Japan, people with influence. Myke, Ryan and VFDC were written about in Arcadia Magazine. Japanese fighting fans come to the US for Evolution every year. Foreign players play at Tougeki. For the first time some of my friends played at the Beat Tribe Cup, unbelieveable! Kyasao came to NYC!

If you care about the arcade VF scene, fight for it! Don't just let all the work and love we put into our scene during the life of VF4 die like this. Get people together, the big names: Yamagishi, Sawatari from Arcadia, HanaBi Lei Fei, Ohsu, Shinz, Kyasao, Myke, Ryan, Mad Dog Jin, writers from Famitsu, Itabashi, etc. Make a statement, a plan, and converge on Sega in Japan. Show them photos of Lindburgh games in Arcades around the world, and demand VF5! THERE IS NO GOOD REASON NOT TO EXPORT THE GAME!!!!!! Even no cards etc, just give us the game. Camp outside their office, refuse to eat, refuse to leave, make a scene, get game magazines to write about it.

Nothing is impossible, if people care enough. Namco's fans, DOA's fans, Capcom fans, they care enough. Are we just going to let the arcade, which is the heart of VF, die?

 

Shang you say the vf scene will go down hill,, but i dont think i've ever scene it huge. I mean VF1 scene here was big, vf2 scene was really big , vf3 scene was even huger than that, and now vf4 has gobs of people ?
VF has a core amount of fans and it really is up to us to promote it. I mean Sega never even helped sponsor anyones event in the US from VF3 and up , why would we think that now our huge scene would ?
I know the only reason namco promotes stuff here is because it has gamers helping to promote it ( which i know you and others have); but that is as far as it will go.
I dont see sega's actions different from anything in the past, and i dont see the VF scene growing to tekken/ sc3 proportions and no game system is going to change that.
Sadly,, the home version scene does reflect teh arcade VF scene which is really dismal -- but who cares everyone who plays is so damn cool to meet , vf is such a cult game in america.

- is getting ass raped a bad thing anyway ? are there any VF gay players ? Has anyone actually tried to help the scene grow by reaching out to this growin segment ? Sega maybe is homophobic and therefore bastards for not making a gay character to help VF from this angle. maybe we can help the scene grow if we offer rapage to other friendly men and butch girls --- my ass is and face is down for the challenge.

Shadowdean
I think there is a difference between stating an opinon and giving a nice complaint and just ranting about stuff continuously . - and whenever we get married,, I'd love to see if we can all just listen to our wives nagging and saying "oh she is entitled to her opinion and shouldnt be told to calm down for nagging about it" ... i know i wouldnt be able to take it ( i already hear it with 5 sisters).

 

I'll have to agree that US vf scene is improving, but Arcade Infinity is a really special exception compared to the rest of the Western World. Even being that exception the results are tragic. I also know that overall the arcade lost money of VF. Virtually no one played 4 version B. We sadly ditched Evo which I heavilly regret and dont want to make that mistake with 5 again, If we get it. (If we support arcade VF5, then a better chance at the VF5 revision thats inevitable) and Final Tuned which is barely starting to make any money. It just broke even a month or two ago. If anything we need to thank Tom, KOF, and the hordes benmani play that goes on there. Even though we made up for it on Final Tuned it still does not cover the previous version costs =/.

Given that arcade sales have been weak for VF even at possibly the best arcade in the US. The things that most of us demand are for VFNet. With possibly no arcade in america making a profit on VF arcade, i find it very selfish to make these demands.

VF may have sold plenty on consoles but it has gotten no love in the arcade. So I dont find it shocking that the Japanese players get the year head start with an arcade version, while westerners like us wait for a home version - the product that sells.

 

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Shang said:

This is what I'm saying after VF5, the vf community will be nothing but dumbfucks like Cuz, Jeneric and MAXIMUM.

Hey dumbass, a mac is a PC now. 360 is a mac?

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agree on both points

but its blaytant that jap companys do the unwriten rule of not going against other jap companys....

2) as vf was on ps2, and all thos owners are likly to wait/get a ps3...

3) xbox360 owners would never really "get" VF...

i dont get what the big deal is, if vf5 would come on xbox360 people would want it now, this year, and that would hurt the arcade version that aint even out if i remember.....

$600 is minor tings, at least its a world wide launch, hell i remember people paying a £1000 for a ps1 and RR1 in dec 1994, thats like nearly $2000 back then!

if you cant afford it, or even rase the funds in 7-9months Gooooooooooooooooooooooooodddd-ahhh!

 

I'm writing from HK now. /versus/images/graemlins/smile.gif I'm happy to hear that VF5 is playable at E3!

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...you care about the arcade VF scene, fight for it! Don't just let all the work and love we put into our scene during the life of VF4 die like this. Get people together, the big names: Yamagishi, Sawatari from Arcadia, HanaBi Lei Fei, Ohsu, Shinz, Kyasao, Myke, Ryan, Mad Dog Jin, writers from Famitsu, Itabashi, etc. Make a statement, a plan, and converge on Sega in Japan.

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While I agree with what most of Spotlite said, I have to point out that none of the people on the list above have any bearing on the high level corporate decisions of Sega. Sure the people mentioned can get Sega to tweak the game, hold special events, or adjust VF.net. Sega wont go entering new markets based on the advice of anyone on that list, even if the opinion came from Yamagishi or Famitsu.

The reality is you would need a high level analyst, Investment Banker, or a change in Sega management who supported the opinions of this board to get the changes you want.

Get someone from Goldman, MS, ML or a special relationship with Sega's management and you have a shot, otherwise forget it.

It really is just a waste of energy. One person who cares enough can create change. The problem is caring doesn't mean that person has the ability. At the end of the day, I would guess 99% of the registered users on VFDC or who play VF casually are just kids.

Can you give me one example where a gamer rallied a group together that created corporate level change? I'm not talking game tweaks, events, prizes or some special edition game.

If you can find that example then you have a roadmap on how to get the changes you want from Sega. Ask that person how they did it.

 

#1, "US VF scene is improving."
This statement came from the LA guys mainly. And like I said when I visited Arcade Infinity, you guys have a great arcade there, the best I've seen in the states. However in my mind, there is no doubt VF in the states, as in countrywide, has declined. In the days of vf2 and early vf3 days, you could always find competition, most arcades have the hardware. I recall many more faces in those days. vf4 is different, you had to find your core of players. No longer can you go to the arcade and find people of your level. And with this core of players you played EVO on PS2. And if you are lucky you guys get to play FT. I think LA is different than the rest of the country in that you have a FT machine with good arcade support and a lots of Asians/asian wannabes. For the rest of though, most of the cores are dead. People tired of playing EVO with FT out, people lost interests, people playing MMORPG, or people just getting out of the gaming phase of their lives. Keeping in mind many vf2/vf3 players are hitting 30 now. To say “US VF scene is improving†to me says, 1 you haven’t been around long enough, 2 you haven’t traveled enough, 3 you are a fanboi and naïve.

#2, “No market in the western world for VFâ€Â
This is simply not true. There are in fact huge a market for vf here. vf had always had great sale #s, great reviews. People bought the game.. but sega failed to connect these people. Vf is not a game you can enjoy playing by yourself. It doesn’t have the fire / explosion, tits to keep you interested. People got the game and played by themselves and said WTF this game sucks. Unlike in Japan, you can’t just walk into an arcade and woo and waah at people playing vf, you can’t take the train to here and there without spending a ton of time traveling. I can tell you if I never saw Joji playing vf2 in the Boston Arcade, I would never got into vf.
If Sega wants people in the US to play vf, they need to create tools to connect people. The audience here is completely different than Japan. This is where Sega’s comments show how short sight and what a bunch of morons they are: “No net play because of lagâ€Â. The internet is like the greatest thing that ever happened to videogames. Especially in the states, with an online matching service, they can bring the people together. Player can show others what makes vf fun. It’s not about the big combos, flash moves, big boobs, badass graphics. Vf is fun because of what’s in two people’s head, and sega never brought this element to the states. They refuse to change at the risk of their Japanese arcade market. To anyone who buys into the “net lag will make vf playableâ€Â. YOU ARE A FUCKING MORON! If people can play fps online and want a 4ms LCD instead of 12ms one, you can play vf online! A lot of you think vf is somehow a greater than other games.. You are a fucking moron. VF is a videogame, it's not godly. new DOAs graphics is better than VF4's. accept it and move on. it doesn't mean shit. This is about sega wanting people to go to the arcades (which does not exist in the US), instead of everyone just sitting at home play vf on the net. It’s about money and it’s about change they don’t want to risk. I could go on all days about this..
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Maddy,
It’s not about the $800. It’s about frustration.. After people spending the 800$, guess what you still have no one to play with.. It’s about wanting the game company to support you as a player.

“There's no reason for them to take us into consideration in terms of marketing decision although that's what we hope forâ€Â

Why not? My money and time is just as good as anyone else, and so is yours. This is the attitude that cause them to be like this in the first place.

PhoenixDth,
At 20$ a copy, FT will easily sell over 100,000 copies you idiot. Open you fucking eyes and wake the fuck up. And that will more than cover the conversion cost.

CrewTW,
while I agree with you one person won't make a diffrence, you are still fried in the head. stfu.

 

Microsoft requires that every game made for 360 supports Xbox Live. Even the role-playing games post certain achievements on Xbox Live. That is actually a deterrent if you own rights to a game like VF, a game for which you are naturally inclined against online play, and even if you were for online play then you would charge for it yourself.

The entirety of Japan waits paitently while the rest of the world is buying 360 now. The world is playing next gen games now while the people of Japan keep their PS3's and let 360's remain on the shelves. An audience that loyal deserves exclusives. Sony would be stupid not to pay developers to provide exclusives. To be honest, they should get all their Japanese games at least 6-months before anyone else. If the US treated Playstation like Japan treats the Xbox, Playstation would go under. After researching the topic, I am sure the PS3 is going to be a better machine than the Xbox 360, but the Xbox(1) was a better machine than the PS2 and Japan didn't support it either.

I would much rather play VF with a playstation controller, than with an Xbox controller. The directional input on an Xbox controller is not as precise, and the button placement makes it harder to use all eight buttons (6 buttons + 2 triggers) I don't like triggers for fighting games anyway. Triggers are for shooters.

 

One thing we have to also consider is the price of the machine itself.

I get the feeling that SEGA is renting the machine mainly to soften the blow of the bazillion dollars it's gonna cost. Making a VF machine available for rent outside the US logistically is really a nightmare.

To buy the machine itself, it costs what, about the price of a new car? Even AI wouldn't drop that money, knowing that FT just broke even. And AI is the only arcade that has FT in the country!

I know that we're 'defending' SEGA or whatever, but honestly you have to look at things realistically. I think that US has the potential to GROW into a viable market. But as it is, right now it's not worth it for SEGA to create a nation wide network infrastructure for VF. Especially if you consider the size of the US when compared to Japan, making a lag free network in the US is insanely difficult (and probably currently impossible). There's NO way that SEGA can live up to demands of players in this respect, ie. delievering lag free (or almost lag free, which for me is still horrible) online gameplay to the US.

Two things I want from SEGA:

1. A funny, intelligent marketing campaign on TV and the internet. The commercials for VF4 in Japan were hilarious!! They should just do that for the US market. The concept for the spots would fit over here perfectly!

2. Downloadable patches, versions and other content over PS3's free network service, however that might work. This is the one I'm REALLY gunning for. SEGA might not do it, to drive people to the arcade, but I hope that in this regard, they give us a break.

 

Put the crack pipe down because you have some serious reading comprehension issues.
Sega doesn’t rent the machine, Sega rents the software. Arcades still have to buy hardware regardless to run the game. The price for the VF5 kit shouldn’t be more than 1000-1500$. And since AI already has the cabinets all they need are the kit and the software. Say they charge $2500 for the software; VF5 could be running for under $4000. The problem is that if the VF5 codes require a signal for Sega before it can start running; this basically assures Sega to have full control of who gets to play their game even if they have the hardware and software. If you don’t pay or they don’t want you to use their software, they can remotely disable your machine.

“right now it's not worth it for SEGA to create a nation wide network infrastructure for VFâ€Â

<--- no fucking shit since no one plays vf in US, mr. obvious.

“making a lag free network in the US is insanely difficult (and probably currently impossible).â€Â

<----Fucking moron, typical vf is too godly mentality. Well you have fun in vf5 quest mode by yourself now..

 

After this PS3 shit. I hope VF5 and MGS4 come to the 360. I'm not getting a PS3 even if VF5 will be on it first....

 

It amazes me how a person can make himself a such fucking clueless imbecile in so many forms in such few words. Take your 360 fanboism back to ign please.

 

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“right now it's not worth it for SEGA to create a nation wide network infrastructure for VFâ€Â

<--- no fucking shit since no one plays vf in US, mr. obvious.

“making a lag free network in the US is insanely difficult (and probably currently impossible).â€Â

<----Fucking moron, typical vf is too godly mentality. Well you have fun in vf5 quest mode by yourself now..

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It sounds to me like we have one person here who is ready to try and change the world of VF. Rally the troops Shang and march to Sega of Japan. Demand your online VF while you continue to call everyone who disagrees a moron.

Your energy is better spent doing something more productive...

Verbal Masturbation? Love you all the way from HK baby. /versus/images/graemlins/smile.gif Really though why bother....haven't you already had this discussion or 1000 others like it? It's all about the practice.

 

Andy, I know you are still bitter from the 27-3 lost you suffered vs. my Jacky the last time we played, but get over it man. I figure your wounds would've healed by now?

 

Isn't the HD hardware going to cost an ass load of money on top of the game itself ?

Besides, arcades are a moot point, they're totally dead in the US except for a few exceptions. There's still a lot of steam left in arcades in Japan, even though everyone says they are on the way out there too. If you look at it another way, the fact that we can get VF5 so quickly on PS3 is really awesome, they've been working on a port simultaniously with the arcade release.

I'm very lucky that I have a community with players. Hopefully when VF5 comes out on console where you are, other people around you will start playing too. Just to clarify, I DO think VF is better than other fighting games, and I DO think that lag would kill any fun I'd have playing online. VF = Godly? I don't know about that, but for playing VF as long as you have, and caring enough to stay on these boards for so long, I'd expect that you'd think plenty highly of it yourself.

 

Shang good job disproving one of my exaggerated points/versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif, how about the others.

shangster back in full force /versus/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

600 - 700 bugs , i still dont know if im willing to pay this much for vf 5. Ive never been a freak who is buying new consoles for around 1000 dollars like some guys in past....its ok if they have to have it. But for me consoles arent worth that much. My most expensive release console was cube for 230 dollars. I hate this marketing; just wanna play vf 5 and virtua tennis 3. Seriously thinking about not buying ps3....but if it comes out many players get weak and buy it ( me also!? )...

 

""Maddy,
It’s not about the $800. It’s about frustration.. After people spending the 800$, guess what you still have no one to play with.. It’s about wanting the game company to support you as a player."""

THis is an intersting point you bring up , in supproting you a a player. Recently I had a discussion about why marketers are now moving money from the black community to the latin community and we see that why should those companies pool money into any community that is not going to return the investment 2 or 3 fold compared to other markets.
VF in America is simiilar, I dont see why sega would want to bring more money into VF if there are only a select few (like us) that would continue to support it.
It almost seems like VF is more ofa service to us rather than an investment. No matter how much we complain, the american market will not make a big return on their investement and unless you or I become senior management, they are not going to see this.
Another idea would be to rally all the mexicans in the US and have them march like we did on May 1st !!
AGAin i say Sega has to attack the gay and latino community to make VF grow .. you think you want that challenge? if you look at all the US players ,, look at the race makeup versus other gaming scenes. You can steer with games if you choose. I say they should have given Brad / Goh a grill and then it'd be Grand theft in VF-- yo

 

found this on the teamxbox forums: http://forum.teamxbox.com/showthread.php?t=442173

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Hi.
Just wanted to share with ya a small video we got from private presentation of Mass Effect.
Here's a link to the therad.
You can find the link at the bottom and, we'll add there other links for other videos.

Unfortunately is small and .mov but...
...well ya know, this game simply ROCKS.

http://www.vg-forum.it/showthread.php?t=4736

Ah!
BTW,
SEGA's pr unofficially confirmed us that VF5, at the moment, is just a temporary exclusive but will arrive on 360 in late '07.
Take it if you want to belive.

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who knows...

 

Considering that I'm pulling a mid six figure salary and that in front of an entire room of vf'ers you chickened out...I would say I have. Congratulations on your 2 year old evo wins.