Table of Contents
RGG Studio Targets Game of the Year Ambition for the Next Virtua Fighter
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has made its intentions unmistakably clear. As Virtua Fighter prepares for its long-awaited return, the team wants SEGA’s legendary fighting franchise to re-enter the industry not as a niche favourite, but as a legitimate Game of the Year contender.
It is an audacious goal in a landscape dominated by sprawling RPGs, cinematic action adventures, and open-world epics, but one that RGG appears ready to pursue.
A Franchise Revival Built with Clear Purpose
The next Virtua Fighter is currently in development under RGG Studio, though the project remains largely under wraps. Only brief gameplay previews and an initial reveal of three characters have been shown so far, but the game’s vision has now come into sharper focus.
In a recent interview with Automaton, producer Riichiro Yamada described the team’s central mission: to create a Virtua Fighter that breaks out of genre boundaries and earns a place within mainstream Game of the Year conversations. Yamada references the original as a technological trailblazer, suggesting that the new entry must once again challenge expectations of what a fighting game can be.
Making Virtua Fighter Accessible Without Diluting Its Depth
Yamada acknowledges that fighting games often struggle with the perception that they are too difficult or too niche for broader audiences. To reach GOTY-level visibility, RGG Studio intends to refine the game’s design around approachability, ensuring players unfamiliar with the genre can engage comfortably. At the same time, long-time fans still enjoy the complexity and mastery the series is known for.
He stresses that widening the audience does not mean simplifying the competitive core. Instead, the goal is to create an experience where anyone can have fun right away, while still discovering layers of depth as they improve.
This philosophy aligns with RGG’s broader desire to push Virtua Fighter beyond traditional boundaries, positioning it as more than a genre entry but as a flagship experience capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with gaming’s biggest releases.
Despite this clarity of vision, the game’s release window remains unknown. SEGA has not shared further details since the initial reveal, and RGG Studio continues to work quietly on the project. However, Yamada’s comments reveal the scale of the studio’s ambition and the belief that this comeback can be much more than a nostalgic revival.
