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A Famitsu interview (December 20,2024) of Riichiro Yamada, producer of NEW VIRTUA FIGHTER, and Masayoshi Yokoyama, Director of RGG. The interview goes into details leading to NEW VIRTUA FIGHTER Project and their ambition for the new game.

Famitsu Article Link

Update: Link to a translation/summary by gosokkyu - https://mastodon.social/@gosokkyu/113684716047878905

Overall Impression:
New Virtua Fighter will be a Triple A title with plans to connect past and future generation of players; not catered just to fighting game fans; and a game that will develop the characters in game with elaborate background/environment settings.

Famitsu Interview of Riichiro Yamada (Left), producer of NEW VIRTUA FIGHTER, and Masayoshi Yokoyama (Right), Director of RGG. Picture from Famitsu article.

Summary from the Interview​

"New Virtua Fighter Project" how did it get started?

• Yokoyama - In parallel to development of VFeS/VF5US, they have been planning for a new VF many times but not to everyone's satisfaction.
• Yamada - Finding what is "appropriate for the current market" and to have a plan that connects the past and the future. Finally was given the go-ahead internally to proceed with NEW VF Project. "This is going to be a big project, good luck!"
• Yokoyama - Lots of VF fans inside SEGA with different directions they see for the IP: an evolution or completely new form of VF, before the task came to Yokoyama. Yokoyama called Yamada--who had left SEGA--to work on the new VF. VF Project started 3 months after that phone call.
• Yamada - Their aim is not necessarily to compete with Tekken and Street Fighter that have established a lot with their base. They are aiming to go beyond the framework of fighting games, so that not just fighting game fans, but many people can enjoy playing new VF.
• Yokoyama - use an analogy Utsumi, SEGA President and COO, told him of a busy popular Izakaya restaurant with limited seating and a food court with abundant seats even if crowded (Ed. Note: I assume analogy for target audience).
• Taking a much broader look a "VF" - he views it as simple and stoic battle scenes, which taking that into consideration can shine by placing these fight scenes that have no projectiles/superhuman actions into a realistic city and world setting.
• Yokoyama - fuse the strength of RGG in world building with "VF" to form a new Izakaya (Ed. Note: back to that earlier analogy)

What is the "Core" of the New "VF"?

• As Yamada stated in the VF Direct, the core of VF is "innovation" and "reality". Innovation during 90s arcades. Arcade hardware was cutting edge technology back then. Now the gap between arcades and home consoles has closed (or getting closer).
• Mentioned how the culture or creators at SEGA seems to passed down. Even though Shenmue and Like a Dragon have no connection to each other and made by different people, people always make comparisons on their similarities. Jokingly, Yokoyama mention character design seems to be passed down also with creators. Main protagonists Akira (VF), Ryo (Shenmue), and Kazuma (Like a Dragon) have similar hair styles.

What Reforms will be in the New "VF"?

• Yamada - VF not a difficult game; but players have honed their techniques making a "perception of difficulty." One problem he notes is difficulty of learning the steps to the basic fighting game, and wants to remove that hurdle of learning it.
• Another weakness of the VF series are the characters' background. Largely due to the game series was first and foremost an arcade game title. Story mode or elements of that are under consideration for the new Virtua Fighter.
• Yokoyama, made the analogy if Street Fighter is like professional wrestling, Virtua Fighter should aim to be like K-1 Kickboxing. The matches are low key, not very flashy but background of fighters before fight enriched the match. No need to make it flashy or change game rules, amplify appeal of plain and serious matches.
• Yokoyama made an analogy, in which his role is to make the new VF an interesting show, while Yamada's role is to make the new VF game fun to play.
• In addition, a goal of the new VF is to be a bridge from past VF to future VF. 10 year gap for a new VF, requires a lot of work to build the player community.
• Yamada - this will be a big game as it functions to expand on the audience that would play the game, but did state the game should have same fighting content of original "VF". (Ed. Note: Suggest this is a full-fledged fighting game plus more)
• Arcade port of new VF is not being considered at the moment, This is focused for home consoles.
• Asked about how the "'VF" series is perceived by overseas game fans and young Japanese game fans: Yamada replied series is more well-known than he expected, but not played as much. And the series is not well-known among young Japanese.
• Yokoyama - acknowledged the active players, but for new VF, there needs to start from scratch. A title that appeals to both younger generation but also excites the generation of players that used to play "VF" but not anymore. A game that connects a wide range of generations.
• Yamada - essential for new VF to be a hit, something parents and children can have talks about "VF".

Advantage of creating new "VF" at RGG Studio

• Advantage of having RGG studio create new "VF" is there expertise in creating worlds (towns and backgrounds) for the characters to inhabit...with overwhelming speed and quality.
• Yamada mentioned the teaser video of new Virtua Fighter project was completed quickly. Project launched in 3 months, the town in the trailer was created in just one month.

Interesting Points in the New "VF"

• Yamada - there is no reason to keep the game to just three buttons, punch, kick, guard, but he will take into consideration of previous VF players. As this will be a home console release, they will be optimizing game for players that use a controller.
• Yamada - variety of stages will be made, ring-out stages, some without any, others ringout under certain conditions (Ed. Note: sounds like status quo for VF)
• Yamada mentioned specifically in the teaser trailer the fight highlighted a "situational battle". Interviewer asked can battles be more than just one-on-one. Yamada left that question unanswered.
• Teaser trailer location is not in Japan.
• The setting of the previous VF are connected to the new VF, with the new project clarifying background that were not clearly explained.
• In the teaser, Yamada confirmed the Akira-like character is indeed Akira, and the Sarah-like character Stella is not Sarah.
• Old and new characters will be introduced and for older characters in the previous games like Lau and Shun...Yamada said look forward to that information.
• Season pass as part of the game have not been decided on, especially since new VF is trying to be a new type of game.
• No comment on when new "VF" will be released. It is not just be a sequel and a lot is still early in development. But Yamada mentions he does not want to continue making it for years...release as soon as possible while maintaining quality.

"Legacy Virtua Fighter Project" in Parallel to "New Virtua Fighter Project"

• New VF made for a wider audience, while Legacy VF Project keeps the core fans playing the game until new New VF is released.
• Aoki in charge of Legacy Virtua Fighter. Yamada commented there are still many things that can still be done for legacy VF.
• Discuss highlighting star players, an actual world tournament (Open Championship).
• On whether there would be a world tournament for new "VF", Yamada mentions the players reaction to the game will decide on that. Yamada interestingly mentioned a better idea: Hold a tournament for "VF5 Revo" and for "new VF: rather than just a tournament for just one game in the series.
• Official Discord channel with a community manager, as a place to spread information and receive opinions, for example, game balance. Yamada did specifically mentioned about game balance for "VF5 Revo": Provide feedback and opinion on Revo, but the most important thing it seems RGG will focus on is the new "VF".
• Because VF has been dormant for such a long time, a necessary way to build a relationship of trust is needed again. The Official Discord channel is an attempt for that.

New "VF" will not be a Half-Baked Project

• Discussion of those celebrating 30th anniversary of VF at the end of VF Direct, such as Yu Suzuki and Jensen Huang.
• Both Yokoyama and Yamada did not expect to be involved with VF title as that was part of the arcade era and they worked on consoles. Yokoyama mentioned "VF" as an important IP in Sega's history, so he has no intention of making a half-baked game.