Compared to the likes of Street Fighter and Tekken, Sega's Virtua Fighter series has yet to achieve a similar level of success, despite being a pioneer of 3D fighting games (it even directly inspired Tekken). As such, fans of the series have hoped for a new entry in the series for years. And with Sega appearing to revive the brand with the release of Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, an enhanced remake of the last entry, it looked like the series was well and truly back. Unfortunately, it sounds like Sega has yet to determine any real plans for the series' future.
In an interview with Famitsu, and translated by Siliconera, chief producer Seiji Aoki spoke about the release of the remake and the future of the Virtua Fighter series. According to him, nothing has been decided about a potential Virtua Fighter 6, although Aoki admits that he wants to make it a reality.
He adds that Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown will ultimately decide whether is enough of a demand for a new game, which makes a lot of sense. While long-time fans may have preferred a new game straight away, Sega most likely figured it'd be safer to re-release Virtua Fighter 5 first to gauge interest in the series before committing to a wholly new project.
So far, Sega does at least appear to want to try and make Ultimate Showdown a success. After all, the game was first teased as part of a Virtua Fighter esports project, which means Sega is looking to try and use the game to break into the ever-growing esports scene. How successful it is there could also factor into whether Virtua Fighter 6 happens or not.
Plus, PlayStation Plus subscribers can play the game for free. Making a new release free in any capacity on the day of launch is a surprising move and shows that Sega wants to get the game in as many hands as possible. In the interview, Aoki even says that he didn't think the game could be free at the beginning of development, although he points out that it being free permanently would be difficult for business. That's why it will only be free on PS Plus for two months.
Virtua Fighter is far from the only Sega franchise fans would love to see properly revived. Sega itself is apparently looking into which of its classic IPs could receive a remake or reboot, with some choices including Nights, Jet Set Radio, and Crazy Taxi.
Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown is available on PlayStation 4.
Source: Siliconera, Famitsu