The upcoming entry in the Virtua Fighter franchise has reached a significant development milestone, with its battle system now approximately 70 percent complete, according to recent remarks from the development team. The announcement comes alongside the public unveiling of the game’s first gameplay footage during EVO 2025, offering fans a clearer look at how the iconic fighting series is evolving under new creative direction.
During an interview conducted by IGN ahead of EVO, Riichiro Yamada, producer of the new Virtua Fighter Project, confirmed that the current visual fidelity of the in-development title is close to their intended final look. “We really feel that we are 70 percent there in terms of how it looks,” Yamada explained. The statement was given just before the game’s formal gameplay showcase, signaling growing confidence in the team’s progress and artistic vision.
The footage shown at EVO 2025, titled New Virtua Fighter Project | Combat Gameplay First Look – Training Stage, features a one-on-one battle on a standard dojo-style training platform. Familiar mechanics return with refined precision, such as individual limb-based guarding and responsive counters. The animation quality reflects a notable improvement over past entries, with greater realism in character motion and physical reactions.
Speaking further in the interview, Yamada elaborated on the guiding principles behind the project’s direction. Describing “innovation” and “reality” as the core pillars of the Virtua Fighter experience, Yamada admitted that visual innovation has reached a high bar in the industry. Instead, innovation now stems from design ideas and player experience. As for reality, Yamada emphasized the sensation of combat as essential to Virtua Fighter’s identity.
“Virtua Fighter is not a UFC-style battle,” Yamada noted. “It’s more like a kung fu movie battle. When you’re being hit, you felt that hurt in your arms or your legs, your body… he wants that reality to be felt within the players, not only in battles but in other areas as well.”
While gameplay has now been publicly showcased, key details regarding the title remain under wraps. A New Virtua Fighter Project (tentative title) has not yet received an official release date or confirmed platforms. It will be the sixth mainline entry in the franchise and the second Virtua Fighter game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, following Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown. Unlike earlier titles in the series, this new installment is not being developed by Sega’s AM2 Studio.
