Sega is working on a new Virtua Fighter game for the first time since 2006, giving the first-ever fighting game series a chance to retrieve some of its original sparkle.
New global head of transmedia Justin Scarpone tells Video Games Chronicle that “we have another Virtua Fighter being developed” along with previously announced other legacy titles like Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi. These projects come from a desire to refresh stale IPs.
“The interesting thing about that is you have a generation of folks who remember those titles fondly from their childhood or young adulthood, who are in their 40s or 50s,” he says. “And then you have a younger generation that, frankly, really doesn’t have any connectivity to that IP.
“So, the challenge is, if we try to reinvent these IPs, how do we connect? Which platforms and how do we evolve the lure for these IPs that are lesser known, frankly speaking? And how do we connect with new generations?”
Scarpone doesn’t detail what a new Virtua Fighter game might look like, or how specifically it’ll appeal to young gamers currently more occupied with things like Skibidi Toilet. If another Virtua Fighter is anything like the rest of the series, which was borne from low-poly glory in 1993, it’ll at least have a lot of passionate punching, which even the most avid iPad baby should find interesting.
But, make no mistake, reinvigorating old IP is “a big, big challenge,” Scarpone says.
He gives an example. “[1987 hack-and-slash franchise] Shinobi is a case where we both have a game and a film [planned],” he says. “So will that resonate or not kind of depends on if we have gotten better as storytellers, and if we can reach younger audiences while also reigniting the core fans.”