Update []: SEGA has now released the full 35-second concept video for its new Virtua Fighter game, running in-engine.
The small print stresses that “this is a concept video created before development began” and “the actual gameplay and characters may differ from what is shown”. It should be taken as an example of what Ryu ga Gotoku Studio is trying to achieve, then.
If it can pull anything close to this off in the final product, then we could be looking at one of the greatest 3D fighting games ever made.
Original Story: SEGA and graphics card manufacturer Nvidia’s storied relationship is well documented, so it’s no surprise CEO Jensen Huang debuted a few seconds of footage from the new Virtua Fighter game during its CES 2025 presentation.
The clip was described as in-engine, and is presumably still very early in-development. However, the animations are absolutely extraordinary – even from the small window, everything looks unprecedently smooth and the moves blend together seamlessly.
“This is the new Virtua Fighter project,” Huang deliriously declared. “I just can’t wait!”
Created by industry icon Yu Suzuki, Virtua Fighter was the first 3D fighting game of its kind, and paved the way for the likes of Tekken and Dead or Alive. While the franchise has been largely neglected of late, SEGA is putting a lot of work into resurrecting it, starting with new esports competitions and an update to the PS4 game, Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown.
It’ll probably be a few years before we get our hands on the new title, but it looks like develop Ryu ga Gotoku Studio – which is best known for the Like a Dragon titles – is cooking up something special here.
[source x.com]
Comments 24
Need to see more but yes, this looks excellent.👌
Damn it looks cinematic as hell.
Edit: damn a shame that isn't actual gameplay though
Looks great and i hope they keep it clean like this.
Come on, now. Is that title really suitable for a first look at PC footage, on a brand new graphics card no less?
My jaw is fine. Thank you very much.
That looks like a martial arts movie that's crazy
This will be THE fighting game to beat all others.
@Oram77 I think it might overtake T8 but difficult to beat SF6 with it's timeless art style and movement.
"NOT ACTUAL GAMEPLAY" My jaw remains in place, thank you very much.
Wow! I’m not into fighters but this could tempt me if it ends up looking like this!
Oh god I hope it plays like it looks here. I’ve always wanted a proper martial arts game where you can counter a counter of a counter etc and then it’s a battle of wits to who gets the actual punch. Main issue with that is speed + button mashing and how to make things play well. Dead or alive 5 countering well, but most games just are as you counter you then can hit on the next move, rarely if at all games have layered countering.
Both otherwise, the graphics here look great. Also lets hope it doesn’t do a tekken 8 adding loads of paid for stuff after release!
I'm really rooting for this game. I loved VF5 and while I respect Tekken something about it just doesn't click with me. I would like to see alternative choices for my 3D fighter fix.
@Oram77 More like a 3D fighting game to beat other 3D fighting games...well it's not like there still many of them. Outside Tekken, the rest of 3D fighting games are dead and buried...unless someone brave enough to revive DoA, Bloody Roar, Soul Calibur, Toshinden, Fighting Vipers, Tobal, or Star Gladiators.
When I read, “smooth as butter,” I didn’t expect that phrase to actually represent what I was about to see.
Let’s hope the game is close to this quality.
@PuppetMaster To me MKX is still the peak of fighting games, it's really sad to see how far MK has fallen. Also don't forget that VF is the grand daddy of the genre.
Can confirm jaw did not, in fact, drop. (It does look pretty cool though. Counter and block heavy)
Engine and animations looks good, but its so choreographed that its hard for me to really get excited until i see some real gameplay
They did say, but this is clearly a cut-scene, not gameplay. Just cause i know not everyone reads or can tell.
That is why it looks so fluid.
Nevertheless it looks good so far.
Animations are too good to be true.
Excited because it's RGG studio but this doesn't really show anything
it excplicitly states it's "not actual gameplay" guys so take a breather haha. no fighting game can flow like that and likely never will unless its an orchestrated fight and both players have practiced together for weeks to time the counters haha.
If vf gets rid of mechanics like aerial juggles and other nonsensical moves that aren't possible, maybe we could get closer to such realistic animations. Question is how to do this and keep the gameplay fun.
I admit I haven't played any of the more modern fighting games. I'm an old SNES OG SF2 gamer. But, DANG, the kinematic response to the punch and block is impressive. I think most games just kinda overlay the models and do not try to adhere to the physics of bodies interacting with each other. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't play a lot of fighting games these days. But, that just looked impressive.
"This is a concept video created before development began." Oh, ok. Lol. I loved Virtua Fighter as a kid and have no reason to be skeptical, but this doesn't represent a product, just an idea of one.
Damn, RGG studio really cooked with this one.
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