SEGA hopes new Virtua Fighter 5 shows demand for a 6th game

Marcin Gulik June 6, 2021

SEGA officially revived the Virtua Fighter franchise with a surprise release last week. Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown got a huge facelift thanks to Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. This “Ultimate” version featured upgraded character models, stages, BGM, and more. While the game’s online functionality could use some work, it’s a solid comeback for the series.

In the latest issue of Famitsu magazine, SEGA chief producer Seiji Aoki discussed the possibility of a Virtua Fighter 6 and their hopes for Ultimate Showdown. According to Aoki, Ultimate Showdown was initially not meant to be a free game for PlayStation Plus subscribers:

“At the beginning of development, I didn’t think the game could be free (with PlayStation Plus). (laughs)…If it were to be always free, it would be naturally difficult [business-wise]. So it will be available on PlayStation Plus for 2 months.”
Seiji Aoki

Everyone assumed that Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown was a sort of “test” for SEGA. Could this dormant fighting series prove to be just as popular as it once was? According to Seiji Aoki, that’s exactly what this game represents. As for a 6th game? That is yet to be determined:

Nothing has been decided yet regarding Virtua Fighter 6, so I cannot make any statement. But if you ask me whether I want to create it or not, I do want to create it…This title [Ultimate Showdown] will let us know whether there are demands and potentials for Virtua Fighter. We want to hype it up so it can connect to the next one.
Seiji Aoki

We definitely hope there’s enough buzz and sales for a sixth game. I think it was a smart decisions on SEGA’s part to make the game free for PlayStation Plus subscribers. It exposes Virtua Fighter to gamers who might not have played the previous games, or those who were simply on the fence. Let’s make Virtua Fighter 6 happen, guys!

Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown is now available for PlayStation 4. You can get it for free on PlayStation Plus or for $29.99 for non-subscribers.

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