“A half-hearted effort simply won’t succeed”: An interview with new Virtua Fighter project producer Riichiro Yamada

Many fighting game series have come and gone over the years, but Virtua Fighter, like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, has proven to be one with staying power. And with a new Virtua Fighter project currently in development, it’s clear SEGA doesn’t plan for it to fade away any time soon. In fact, after firing some questions over to the new Virtua Fighter project’s producer, Riichiro Yamada, it’s clear that it’s aiming big with its latest entry in its acclaimed fighting series.

Firstly, I wanted to know about Yamada’s approach when it comes to making something that feels fresh while also fulfilling the expectations of fans, and Yamada was frank in stating that it isn’t easy. “Generally speaking, it’s challenging to introduce new elements in a sequel of an established franchise”, he states, adding that “fans often don’t welcome major changes.” With it being 15 years since the last major instalment in the Virtua Fighter series, however, he acknowledges that “a significant update is necessary. A half-hearted effort simply won’t succeed.”

That doesn’t mean that the new Virtua Fighter won’t be recognisable to long-term fans, though – Yamada accepts that there needs to be a balance. “We need to take bold steps while preserving what’s essential,” he says. Thankfully it’s an approach that seems to be bearing fruit already. “Judging from the current reactions from fans, I feel reassured that what we believe should be preserved is likely not off the mark.”

Of course, part of revitalising the Virtua Fighter series includes introducing new characters while also breathing new life into existing ones so they don’t grow stale. It’s something that all fighting games have to do. To me, it sounds like a fun challenge, though one that’s also fraught with danger – what if you change a character too much or a new one just doesn’t fit in? Thankfully, it appears that Yamada does indeed enjoy the challenge: “Of course! I have weekly meetings with the character designers, and it’s honestly the time I look forward to the most. They’re incredibly proactive in sharing ideas, and I truly believe what we’re creating will be well-received by everyone.”

He does reveal that it’s not easy, though, especially when it comes to expanding on the game’s roster of fighters, adding “designing new characters is quite challenging – not only do they need to fit within the world of Virtua Fighter, but they also need to be characters that fans can grow to love.” Still, you probably shouldn’t worry about the new Virtua Fighter characters not fitting in or being fun, as he admits, “That’s a high bar, but it’s one we’re committed to meeting.”

One area in which fighting game series have evolved over the years is when it comes to single-player content. Titles like Virtua Fighter and Street Fighter started out as arcade games, after all, where you could fight against the CPU but the most fun was to be had taking on other actual humans. That still remains the case, to a degree, but now fighting games are also expected to have engrossing story modes and other ways to keep players entertained while playing against the CPU. Yamada is fully aware of this, stating, “Enhancing the single-player experience is, in our view, the most important factor in expanding the fanbase.”

It’s safe to say that players can expect considerable single-player content in the new Virtua Fighter project, then, but it won’t come at the expense of competitive play. Instead, it’s being considered as endgame content rather than the meat of the experience.

So far, so good, then. But there’s likely to be one area where the new Virtua Fighter project may disappoint. At least at launch, anyway. You see, guest characters in fighting games have become very popular over the years. The SoulCalibur series has featured Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher and Ezio from Assassin’s Creed 2, for example, while Tekken has been graced with Street Fighter’s Akuma and Negan from The Walking Dead. Despite this, it seems like the new Virtua Fighter project won’t be rushing to include any.

“Virtua Fighter has never really explored its lore within the game itself, so very few people have a clear understanding of its world,” says Yamada when asked about the possibility of guest characters. “That’s why it’s important that fans first get a sense of the universe this title is set in – and any characters introduced within it must feel like a natural fit.” That doesn’t mean that guest characters won’t be added further down the line, though, with Yamada also adding that, “once that foundation is established, can we start exploring broader possibilities.” There’s still a small chance that we could find ourselves playing as Kazuma Kiryu in Virtua Fighter, then.

To finish things off, I couldn’t let the opportunity to ask Yamada who his favourite Virtua Fighter character is and why pass me by. Sarah Bryant is his answer. “In Virtua Fighter 1 and 2, even with low-polygon models, she came across as a very stylish character,” he says. But then there’s a plot twist. “That said, I usually played as Jackie.”

Needless to say, the Virtua Fighter series seems to be in good hands, and I’m very much looking forward to discovering more about the new Virtua Fighter project as it moves through development. Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat are about to face some serious competition, but I’d wager there’s room for a third heavy-hitter in the fighting game space.

Many thanks to Riichiro Yamada for taking time to answer my questions.