Virtua Fighter producer Riichiro Yamada opens up about the next project: EVO Trailer, lessons learned, FGC rivalry, and more

The next Virtua Fighter, led by Riichiro Yamada, was teased during EVO 2025, and to say people were excited is an understatement. Although I couldn't attend EVO in person, I had a chance to chat with Riichiro Yamada and discuss the upcoming game, the lessons he’s learned over the years in game development, and much more. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to ask all of my questions, but perhaps after the next major reveal, I can return and learn more about the game.

Though I’m mediocre at best at Virtua Fighter, it’s a franchise I’ve really always enjoyed. The Yakuza series has helped keep my love of Virtua Fighter alive through its in-world arcades, and now that a new game is on the way, after VF 5 R.E.V.O., there's a lot to be excited about.

Not too long ago, I spoke to Seiji Aoki of the Virtua Fighter team, and now I’ve had a chance to learn a few things from Riichiro Yamada. Though a brief chat, it nonetheless has me excited about the upcoming title.

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Riichiro Yamada discusses the upcoming Virtua Fighter project: EVO Trailer, designing the new game, and more

Q. One sub-type of fighting games that remains popular these days is Tag Fighters. Has there been any talk of a sub-game for the Virtua Fighter series that embraces this (a’la Tekken Tag or perhaps SFxT)?

Yamada: Tag battles are definitely an interesting system. However, rather than implementing something similar, we’re more inclined to take on the challenge of introducing something new.

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Q. Speaking of the new Virtua Fighter, I know we’ll hear more information about it soon, but that’s just not soon enough! We saw a little teaser during EVO 2025, but was that a cutscene or in-engine footage?

Yamada: Since it's running in the game engine, it's not a cutscene. You can consider it to be very close to actual gameplay.

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Q. What lessons has the team learned, not just from the updating of VF5, but also from other fighting games that have come out over the years, which have influenced how you approach designing this new Virtua Fighter title?

Yamada: There are various factors, but the biggest one is that fighting games tend to have high entry barriers for players. Major titles often implement creative solutions to help lower those barriers. I believe we also need to focus on expanding our user base from that perspective in this project.

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Q. I remember from the arcades in the '90s, there was always kind of a rivalry between Tekken and Virtua Fighter players. Everyone thinks “their game” is the best game. I know from a previous interview that you aren’t motivated to outdo Tekken, but how do you feel about that playful player rivalry?

Yamada: As fans, it's natural to believe that 'the game I love is the best,' and I completely understand that feeling. I think it's great to enjoy various debates, but personally, I'm not fond of the act of deliberately saying "the game you love is trash" to someone else about what they enjoy.

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Q. It’s been about 20 years since we’ve seen a new mainline Virtua Fighter launch, and with this new game on the horizon, can you give me a statement, or perhaps a hint of what we can expect? Something to whet the appetite of fans that will surely tune in during TGS to learn more?

Yamada: We want to properly address the various questions that viewers had after watching the battle footage. We're preparing to ensure that overseas players also receive clear and accurate information, so please don’t miss our upcoming announcements.

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There's precious little known about the upcoming Virtua Fighter project. We do know that more will be revealed during Tokyo Game Show 2025, so there's something to be excited about, for sure.