SEGA’s ambition to revive its classic franchises is not just empty talk. In a short span of time, the gaming giant has announced numerous projects, ranging from remasters and remakes to entirely new series. Among the most anticipated is, of course, the latest entry in the Virtua Fighter series. While still officially unnamed, we did get more details about this project.
The anticipation surrounding this project is not solely because it marks the return of Virtua Fighter, aiming to make the series relevant again, but also due to the studio handling its development. The studio behind it all is Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG), the team responsible for the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series.
After an impressive first teaser showcasing beautiful combat animations, RGG has finally shared more about this new Virtua Fighter title during EVO Japan 2025, where they hosted a VF Direct event earlier today.
Unfortunately, the livestream did not include any real-time gameplay footage. However, RGG did reveal one exciting detail. One of the series’ iconic characters, the wrestler Wolf Hawkfield, will return in this new instalment.
Hawkfield has a brand-new design that looks significantly different from the Wolf fans have known for years. RGG has yet to provide specifics regarding the game’s timeline, but it is clear that Hawkfield appears much older than before, all while maintaining his signature wrestling persona. This reveal, however, was not accompanied by any gameplay animations or further character details.
During the same VF Direct event, RGG expressed their intention to leverage their narrative prowess, which has been a hallmark of their Yakuza/Like a Dragon titles. Unlike past Virtua Fighter entries that largely ignored storytelling, RGG plans to deliver a proper backstory for each character, adding depth to the franchise.
For now, Virtua Fighter fans, especially those on consoles, will have to settle for Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O., which is set to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch 2 after previously being exclusive to PC. This re-release will feature cross-platform play and rollback netcode.
As for the two Virtua Fighter projects, no official release dates have been announced yet. However, RGG has promised to reveal more information in future VF Direct events. Stay tuned for what’s to come as SEGA aims to bring this legendary fighting series back to the forefront of competitive gaming.
