Sega Is Bringing Back Virtua Fighter

Sega of Japan has announced a return for the Virtua Fighter franchise, in a project that will have some kind of esports tie-in. The announcement was made via the company’s official Twitter account, but no additional details have been revealed, as of this writing. For now, the project is being tentatively referred to as “Virtua Fighter x esports project.” In the Tweet, Sega specifically tied the franchise’s return to the 60th anniversary of the company. Since the company was founded in 1960, it seems that further details should be released in the near future. A teaser trailer for the upcoming project can be found in the Tweet embedded below.

The Virtua Fighter franchise has not seen a new entry in quite some time. The last original entry in the series was 2006’s Virtua Fighter 5. In the years since, Sega has released numerous updated versions of the game, including Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown. The series has been a staple for Sega since the first entry in the series, which appeared in arcades in 1993, and on Sega Saturn the following year.

It will be interesting to see how the esports community embraces the Virtua Fighter franchise, and how the next Virtua Fighter is specifically tailored to cater to that community. The growth of esports could help revitalize the franchise for the company. Depending on when the game does see release, it could also be the perfect addition to next year’s EVO line-up!

In addition to the 60th anniversary of Sega this year, 2021 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. It seems like Sega fans just might have some things to celebrate in the coming months!

Are you excited about the return of Virtua Fighter? What’s your favorite entry in the franchise? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!