Sega’sVirtua Fighteris considered to be the first fighting game to break new ground, making the shift from 2D to 3D and ushering in a new era of fighting games. Since its arcade beginnings in 1993, theVirtua Fighterfranchise continued well into the late-2000s with the release ofVirtua Fighter 5.
Virtua Fighter’s last release was, for the longest time, 2012’s digital-exclusiveVirtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown, with its final piece of content, 2015’s Rev B, being included as a bonus arcade game playable inYakuza 6,Judgment,andYakuza: Like A Dragon. However, recent news may show that Sega is not quite finished withVirtua Fighter 5as many had initially thought.
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During the Tokyo Game Show in 2020, Segarevealed a newVirtua Fightergame centered around esports, but aside from a minute-long trailer featuring competitors at various tournaments, details about the game were scarce. Many fans assumed that it would be based onVirtua Fighter 5instead of an entirely newVirtua Fighter, and the latest information from the Game Rating committee in Korea may shed more light on that claim.
GRAC, Korea’s version of the ESRB, updated its game list to include a new entry titledVirtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown. According to the listing, the rating was placed on March 19, two weeks prior. WhileVirtua Fighter 5and its subsequent updates were released on both Microsoft and Sony consoles, it seems this listing is only for the PS4 as of right now.
As the working title of the game suggests, theVirtua Fighteresports game is a new version ofVirtua Fighter 5altogether, with emphasis on online competition. While not the newVirtua Fightergamethat many fans and developers alike would preferand expect, Sega breathing new life into a long-dormant franchise could be the electric shock the series need to reignite interest for future titles.
Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdownis slated to release sometime in 2021 for PS4.
