I am one of those enthusiasts that have always sticked with VF in its dire times. Undervalued by the FGC but extremely treasured by a western niche, and also being a known first e-sport to ever exist in asia, even before the CS/Dota galore on the 2000s, I think Batchua needs no introduction. it is that strange fighting game that some have a huge fixation that has little to no remarkable characters besides the one Ryu 'clone'.
Of course i'm being ironic here, but that's how a huge part of SEGA and fighting game fans see VF. The ones that kinda understand its value use it as trinket because it is cool to say you like VF, and how "deep" - let me stress that, DEEP, not HARD - it is to play. Honestly, for a 2d primate like myself (that only learned Melty Blood and Garou because they are COOL), VF was a pretty nice ride that I only had to stop to treat some RSI. Having only 3 buttons and relying on combinantions, it eased my learning curve to create different combinations, so it is safe to assum that it is a pretty accessible to illiterates that give it a chance.
Although VF having had no new games in 20 years, it is still praised, and we may see a new game soon.On my time organizing low and intermediate level online tournaments (and even some local-venue runs), I have my fair share of opinions about VF's future.
I'm no expert, I never did the golden trip to japan, nor have the expertise as some of the more known players on the west like semrosto, lightwingdragon and Thief. Still, VF was part of my childhood. and teenage years. So instead of separating thoughts on different blog posts, and on the verge of a Tokyo Game Show which SEGA separated 2 misterious spots to reveal new games (yes, let the copium be on me today), let's talk about
THE FUTURE OF VIRTUA FIGHTER
SERVICE-WISE
Well, SEGA is right now with at least three major Games as Services on horizon. They are bound to happen. If Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, and Super Game (name bound to change) are gonna be as train wrecks management wise as Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis, only future will tell. But Virtua Fighter 6, if it is ever going to happen, is one of these safe bets on the business model because fighting games have always been kind of consistent updatable releases since the super nintendo. The first official GaaS Fighting game was Street Fighter V, which had a pretty bad release but having eventually become a successful endeavour paints a pretty good light on VF if not a standalone release. Well, it has always been kind of a service on arcades, with a proper player card ID, exclusive costumes, events.
In this regard, there is no doubt in SEGA and east asia eyes, Virtua Fighter is a platform and sport, not an entertaining story to follow with a fighting game attatched. I would not expect a huge story mode, or even attempts and making casuals stay longer. SEGA, if I know it well, would double down on its strengths and weaknesses. Huge appeal to self-improvement, learning curve teachings through arcade mode and Quest Mode (the rpg-like tower mode that has you go to many arcades and face local leaders).
This core legacy is all over many different GaaS games with competitiveness flair, like Quake CHampions, Lol, Valorant. Their communities foster this side of the game, and I wonder if this also being in VF's vein from the get go would translate well into a new game. And I'm all for that, but what if the presentation was different?
PRESENTATION-WISE
If SEGA were to really want to face Tekken and make VF big in the west, I honestly reckon huge changes should incur to its brand as a whole. Be aware, most people dislike this opinion, but bear with me. First of all, Virtua Fighter as a name was logical to SEGA on the 90's. it conveyed high-end tech and excitement for the virtual space. SEGA did use this Virtua name in many games
I think you don't need to be a marketeer to guess why makes zero sense to name your games off Virtua these days is a bad idea, right? Beyond the nostalgia goggles, Virtua as a prefix makes it sound like a cheap indonesian google play game. Something you'd need to use some knock-off VR goggles to see who's behind you on a youtube AR video.
2 years ago I went on to discuss with people on vf.com about SEGA replacing its name in entirety, of course to terrible reception. But what would work best? Making Virtua Fighter naming a subtitle. Beyond the established franchises, to be taken seriously you need a strong name that conveys what your product is. Don't ask me what would be a name good enough to face Tekken as a brand, but certainly a single word one, and keeping VF as subtitle to keep fans happy.
But now comes the most serious matter.
The Theseus Ship Paradox vs VF
Normally when series are under a problematic moment inspiration-wise, they rely on changing its cast for a younger generation. Soul Calibur did this, and so is now - once again - Street Fighter doing. SC failed with that due to its very extreme timing for such a huge change. And SF3 suffered the same. You can't have x or y series without part of its cast. Simple. People failed SF3 despite it being a monster of a game because the World Warriors were mostly absent. SCV also failed in a similar fashion for skipping a lot of fan favorites (even if movesets were present on newer characters).
I'm somewhat divided on this take on VF, but if the objective is getting closer to new players and (urgh) Tekken players, you need characters that are unique not only in style, but visually. I'd go on to say that VF is the concord of the fighting games character-design wise. There is nothing special or unique to most of them, despite loving the cast. Lets not even delve into lore territory.
Tekken has many characters with lore developed, but a lot of similar charcters on style and moveset, but VF is on the great spot of representing in uniqueness each artstyle, and thats the reason why there are so few addition between each installment. Each character is a world on its own, and how mechanic wise it faces the others. There relies part of the uniqueness of VF.
Though, I think it is time for most of the cast to let more interesting ones take their spots and create new rapport with the aundience willing to try it the first place. Hell, Luke from SF6 was hated and now is considered part of the cast as much as the WW. Changing cast and keeping earlier ones as mentors for specific dojo and martial styles would keep players still connected while also appealing to new ones. Develop these new character stories, although i don't think they would. All in all, VF is known by being good to play, not about one character throwing the other off a volcano cliff. It doesn't matter who are the characters in the end. it is not like the X-men absence scenario on Marvel Vs Capcom Infinite. Its gameplay and competitiveness is its
By changing and allowing new stories to develop, even if superficially, you are kickstarting a new future while preserving its original cast, whilst also fixing its nearly non-existant lore. Changing the way it is named and its cast and keeping its gameplay would still make it the same boat? Or would you rather never have a new VF if these changes are too harsh for you?
Food for thought.
Hopes for great news on Virtua Fighter 6 soon. When it does, I'll be posting them here.
Yours truly,
GrayFoxRJ
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