{"id":54292,"date":"2025-11-26T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=54292"},"modified":"2025-11-26T16:53:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T07:53:10","slug":"interrupting-gameplay-for-visual-flair-is-unacceptable-in-a-fighting-game-new-virtua-figther-project-producer-talks-about-the-titles-pursuit-of-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/interviews\/interrupting-gameplay-for-visual-flair-is-unacceptable-in-a-fighting-game-new-virtua-figther-project-producer-talks-about-the-titles-pursuit-of-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cInterrupting gameplay for visual flair is unacceptable in a fighting game.\u201d New VIRTUA FIGTHER Project producer talks about the title\u2019s pursuit of \u201creality\u201d\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SEGA\u2019s RGG Studio is currently working on New VIRTUA FIGHTER Project. <\/strong>This upcoming 3D fighting game is the Virtua Fighter series\u2019 sixth mainline entry and first brand-new title in almost two decades. To find out more about the project, AUTOMATON interviewed producer Riichiro Yamada, who talked to us about New Virtua Fighter\u2019s pursuit of \u201creality,\u201d and how his development team is reconciling realism with actual gameplay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2014Tell us about yourself and your career so far.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riichiro Yamada (hereafter Yamada):<\/strong> 
I\u2019m Riichiro Yamada, the producer of this project. I joined SEGA in 1999 as a game designer, and over the years I\u2019ve been involved in all sorts of projects, from console titles to mobile games. At one point, I actually left SEGA and worked on game development at Warner Bros. Entertainment, but I returned to the company in 2023. I\u2019m what you\u2019d call a boomerang employee (laughs). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After I came back to SEGA, the idea for a new Virtua Fighter started taking shape, and I\u2019ve been involved in the project since its inception. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014When taking on the project, what did you identify as the \u201ccore\u201d of the Virtua Fighter franchise that absolutely needed to be preserved in the new installment?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yamada:<\/strong> 
If I had to put it into words, it would be \u201creality.\u201d I think most people would struggle to give a simple answer when asked to define what makes Virtua Fighter good. With 2D fighting games like Capcom\u2019s Street Fighter series, it\u2019s easier to grasp their defining characteristics, and I get the impression that their core features have remained largely consistent throughout new entries \u2013 they’ve evolved while cherishing their foundations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the essence of Virtua Fighter is harder to sum up in one sentence. That means there are many different aspects we must preserve in order to clearly define what kind of game it is. If I had to describe all those elements in one word, it would be \u201creality.\u201d Not \u201crealism,\u201d but reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"New<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If we were to simply incorporate the realistic movements of actual martial arts, we\u2019d just end up making \u201ca game about that martial art.\u201d For us, the priority is to make something fun, something that feels good, and then, on top of that, we want it to feel real. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014So it\u2019s a matter of balancing game-like qualities with real-world believability?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yamada:<\/strong> 
Exactly. I believe \u201creality\u201d lies in balancing events that don\u2019t normally happen with those that feel like they could happen precisely because humans are involved. Drawing that line and translating it into the game is challenging, but it\u2019s a core element of Virtua Fighter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, Virtua Fighter has always been an innovator, a title that has been at the forefront of new things. Because of that, it doesn’t resemble much else; which allows it to occupy a truly unique position. I think that sense of uniqueness is also part of the franchise\u2019s core. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"New<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2014On the flip side, what aspects did you feel had to be refreshed in order for the series to move forward?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yamada:<\/strong> 
One thing is the common perception that Virtua Fighter is a difficult and complicated game. I think this impression is especially strong among people familiar with the fighting game genre. The controls are based on just three buttons (Punch, Kick and Guard), so it should be straightforward, but I think the series has accumulated some complexities over time. I want to break away from that perception. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another point is the lack of story and relatively surface-level character portrayal. The characters do have backstories, but since none of that is portrayed in-game, I feel that\u2019s something we need to address. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Back in January, you released a rather impressive pre-development concept movie for New VIRTUA FIGHTER Project that felt like a homage to king fu movies.\u00a0What was the intent behind that video?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yamada:<\/strong> 
When we decided to create a new flagship fighting game within the company, the keyword \u201creality\u201d was what resonated among us best. That was ultimately what tied into the intent behind that footage too. We wanted to make it possible to actually perform those fluid actions and kung fu movie-like exchanges. Simply put, cool-looking interactions that are a joy to watch \u2013 that was the goal behind creating it in the form of a concept movie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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