The legacy ofVirtua Fighterlooms large. A progenitor of 3D fighting games and a notoriously complex and mechanically rich series,Virtua Fighterhas maintained a unique niche within the genre thanks to its emphasis on fundamentals. The arrival ofVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.on Steam is an exciting move that sees the most recent entry in the series making its PC debut, albeit with the benefit ofVirtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown’s balancing updates, as well as the addition of rollback netcode for a smoother and more responsive competitive online experience and impressive new 4K visuals.
In celebration ofVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.’s launch on Steam, Game Rant sat down with legacy Virtua Fighter project producer Seiji Aoki to discuss how this newest release sets the stage for the franchise’s revival. While Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is hard at work on thenext mainlineVirtua Fightergame,Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.is stepping in as the new definitive release of 2006’sVirtua Fighter 5and prepping PC players for the legendary series' return to the platform.This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Changes That Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. Brings to the Table
Q: For new and returning players, what are some of the most exciting reasons to playVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.?
A:The implementation ofrollback netcodewhich provides an environment where players will be able to play online comfortably without any stress, and the game balance adjustments for the first time in 13 years, which we feel creates a fair start for everyone.
Q: Can you walk us through what separatesVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.from previous versions such asFinal ShowdownandUltimate Showdown?
A:The main differences between this andVirtua Fighter 5: Final ShowdownandVirtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdownare that it supports rollback netcode and has a maximum internal resolution of 4K and a frame rate of 60fps.
Q: What were some challenges in integrating rollback netcode intoVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.?
A:Adding a new rollback netcode function to legacy source code from 13 years ago was certainly a technical challenge, but it became possible through the meticulous efforts of excellent programmers.
Q: IsVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.’s balancing similar to the most recent PlayStation 4 version (Ultimate Showdown) or have there been any tweaks specific to the new release?
A:The game balance adjustments for the PS4 versions ofVirtua Fighter 5: Ultimate ShowdownandVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.are exactly the same.
Q: For someone who might be jumping into theVirtua Fighterseries for the first time withVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O., what would you say are the definitive elements that separate it from other contemporary fighting franchises?
A:We take great pride in the fact thatVirtua Fighterfocuses more on the fighting itself than flashy effects and combining this with the fact that the game can also be played in a variety of ways using simple controls with just three buttons, we feel sets it apart from othermodern fighting games.
Virtua Fighter’s Future on PC
Q: WithVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.’s focus on online competitive play, will the team and SEGA be paying close attention to player counts to determine whether to bring future entries to PC?
A:In the fighting game scene these days, we think that demand for PC is increasing. We expect this trend to continue to accelerate, so we think thatPC supportwill be essential in the future.
Q: Despite being playable inVirtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown, Dural is notably absent fromVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.Are there any plans to rebalance the character and make her playable if player response calls for it?
A:The development team considered this, and we feel that Dural is not necessary as a playable character in a highly competitiveVirtua Fighter 5: Ultimate ShowdownandVirtua Fighter 5: R.E.V.O.setting. There are no plans to change this at this time, but we will consider adding her if there is strong user demand.
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