2024 Needs Virtua Fighter 6
2023 saw the release of a bunch of incredible fighting games. Street Fighter 6, Mortal Kombat 1 and GranBlue Fantasy Versus: Rising are just a few of the amazing fighters that allow you to beat the crap out of friends on the couch or strangers online. While 2024 looks to continue in the same vein with Tekken 8 releasing in January, there is still a glaring absence of one of the forefathers of the genre: Virtua Fighter.
In 2024, it’ll be 18 years since the Virtua Fighter 5 hit the arcades. While there have been new iterations of the famed series, a true sequel still hasn’t seen the light of day. Sega recently announced a ton of remakes and reboots to give new life to old franchises. Classics like Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio have already been announced but a new Virtua Fighter was nowhere to be seen. So, why has Sega forgotten the landmark series?
It’s About Time
Avoiding 2023 was the right call for Sega, however, 2024 is the perfect year for a new Virtua Fighter. The promotion of Tekken is in full swing and the hype around 3D fighters is at an all-time high. Due to this, Sega needs to take advantage of the excitement around the genre by announcing the much-anticipated sequel and preparing for a 2024 release. This would allow players to delve into Tekken and be ready to jump into another fighter. As the player base will be very similar, giving Tekken time to breathe is important but so is capitalising on the buzz.
The landscape of the genre has altered drastically since 2006. There is the expectation of more single-player content for players to hone their skills and have more to do. Due to this, Virtua Fighter 6 would need a full story mode akin to NetherRealm studios’ offerings. It would be great to see the backstory of iconic characters such as Lau and Kage to see how they became masters of their craft. Tekken 8’s campaign mode looks to take their storytelling to another level, therefore not having a mode like this would be a huge mistake from Sega.
A Dynamic Online Hub
Another key feature that the game would require is a comprehensive online mode. Street Fighter 6’s Battle Hub is an incredible example of how to execute a living social space and online system. The fact that it celebrates Capcom through cabinets that feature legendary titles is a clever way to keep players on the game. Sega already does this with the Yakuza series and they could easily morph this into the online mode for VF6. Having games like OutRun and Virtua Tennis 2 on a rotation would keep players active, regularly playing the online portion for high-quality fights and revisiting classic games.
Mortal Kombat 1’s Invasion mode includes a variety of fights with an array of modifiers that keep you coming back. With new seasons every 6 weeks or so, the game is full of content. A mode like this would massively benefit VF6. While I would remove the board game type element, a mode with regular single-player content would help maintain a healthy player base which is vital for a fighter.
Learning the Ropes
The Virtua Fighter’s roster is small but distinct. Each character has a unique fighting style that adds personality to their approach to combat. Due to this, a deep tutorial system is imperative to allow players to understand the nuances that imbue each character. Although the game may seem simple with its three-button system, the manner in which you can combine these while navigating the environment helps to create a deep and tactical combat system. Because of this, the game would benefit from a scenario/mission mode. Placing you in particular situations and showing you how to overcome these would definitely help you improve your skills. This could be enhanced further through a ghost mode which would allow you to improve by competing against stronger and more intelligent fighters.
Sega’s new focus on reigniting classic franchises is exciting, however, the fact that Virtua Fighter was missing from their sizzle reel was more than disappointing. I believe that this was intentional in order to truly shine the light onto the next iteration of the lauded franchise. With Tekken 8 due out in a matter of weeks and other fighters already thriving on consoles, is 2024 the perfect year for Virtua Fighter 6? Come on Sega, make it happen.
Do you think it’s time for a new Virtua Fighter? What are your thoughts on some of these ideas? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter, and don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more great video game content.