Virtua Fighter 5’s lifespan is considered by many fighting game fans to be as legendary as theVirtua Fighterfranchise itself. Facing direct competition with Bandai Namco’sTekkenandSoul Caliburseries, as well as Capcom’sStreet Fighter, Sega’sVirtua Fighteris the only franchise to not have a new title in almost 15 years. The latest entry is still receiving support, however, with a new update announced today.
DespiteVirtua Fighter 5spanning two console generations, the playerbase for Sega’s technical 3D fighter is among the most devoted, with tournaments routinely played and streamed around the world. It was enough for Sega to take notice, and late last year it released a small teaser citingthe return ofVirtua Fighterin esports. Almost half of a year later, the esports project is revealed to be the “ultimate” experience forVirtua Fighter 5players.
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Early this morning a trailer released by Sega showed off a snippet ofVirtua Fighter’s history leading up to the gameplay reveal ofVirtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown. Cited in the trailer as “the trailblazing 3D fighter returns for the final round, remade for a new generation,“Virtua Fighter 5has received a major graphic overhaul compared to its previous expansionFinal Showdown.This was done as acollaborative effort with Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, who revamped the game utilizing its Dragon Engine from theYakuzaseries.
The announcement comes after the rumored leak ofnext month’s free PS Plus titles for June 2021, which includes mention ofVirtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdownalong withStar Wars: Squadrons.Ultimate Showdownwill release on June 1 exclusively for the PS4, which further supplements the PS Plus rumor. If true, this will allow a broader range of players to try out the newest version of the niche 3D fighter.
While not necessarily a leak, players knew of the working title for the newVirtua Fighter 5update as early as March due to alisting by the GRAC, Korea’s version of the ESRB. While the core gameplay will remain unchanged, Sega has announced thatUltimate Showdownwill include new music, a user interface, an opening cinematic, and an updated online mode including spectator mode and a functional tournament mode.
The changes to the online mode will coincide with the original promise ofVirtua Fighterreturning to esports, allowing tournament organizers to easily set up matches in an online environment. While nothing in terms of net code has been announced, players hope the newest addition toVirtua Fighter 5’slegacy will include a stable online experience to rival its competitor,Tekken, which also announced an online tournament seriesrecently.
Virtua Fighter: Ultimate Showdownwill release on August 01, 2025 on PS4.
