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Fighting game fans received an unexpected news when a Sega executive casually confirmed that a new Virtua Fighter game is in the works. The news came during a VGC interview with Justin Scarpone, who leads Sega's global transmedia efforts.
While discussing Sega's ongoing revival of classic franchises, Scarpone mentioned Virtua Fighter alongside previously announced projects like Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Streets of Rage, and Shinobi. This marks the first official confirmation of a new entry in the fighting series, which hasn't seen a completely new numbered release since Virtua Fighter 5 launched in 2006.
Virtua Fighter revolutionized the genre with its focus on realistic fighting techniques and precise timing, influencing countless games that followed. The franchise reached its commercial peak with Virtua Fighter 2, which helped drive early Saturn console sales and demonstrated Sega's arcade technology leadership.
Though the franchise hasn't been completely dormant, with releases like Virtual Fighter 5: Final Showdown and Virtua Fighter Ultimate Showdown keeping the series alive, fans have waited nearly two decades for a fresh installment. These updates maintained the series' reputation for technical depth while modernizing the visuals and online features, but stopped short of fully reimagining the franchise for contemporary audiences.
Scarpone's announcement suggests Sega is finally ready to push the series forward, though no specific details about characters, mechanics, or release timing were shared. The news fits within Sega's broader strategy of revitalizing its classic properties.
