Q&A with Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. producer Seiji Aoki

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage launches on PC and consoles next month, making one of the best fighting games around even better. It’s set to feature a new single-player mode, training enhancements, crossplay, and more. Before we knew this was even a thing, however, we fired some questions over to producer, Seiji Aoki, seeking to find out more about SEGA’s brilliant fighting game series, including the challenges of bringing it to modern audiences, and even what his favourite character is.

You can check out the Q&A below, and many thanks to Seiji Aoki for taking time to answer our questions. To learn more about Virtua Fighter, read our interview with the new Virtua Fighter project’s producer, Riichiro Yamada.

Virtua Fighter is one of the most beloved fighting game series around – what do you think gives it lasting appeal?

“I believe the reason for its popularity lies in the fact that, unlike many modern fighting games with flashy effects and projectile-based attacks, Virtua Fighter offers a high level of competitive depth through its simple, reality-based controls.”

What are the challenges of bringing a game like Virtua Fighter 5 to modern audiences and introducing new features?

“Since the game is based on a title that’s over ten years old, it was necessary to modernise it by implementing a single-player mode, expanding the training mode, and adding language support. Additionally, there were technical challenges such as introducing cross-platform play—something that’s a first for the Virtua Fighter franchise.”

Beyond bringing it to consoles, are there any future plans for Virtua Fighter 5 REVO – adding new customisation options, etc.?

“Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage will support the revival of Costume E, which was originally featured in Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown. As for adding new customisation items, we’ve received a lot of feedback and requests from players, so we’re carefully considering it while balancing priorities with other development tasks.”

One of the few common complaints about Virtua Fighter 5 REVO is its lack of single-player content. Was this a conscious decision given the game’s esports focus?

“While our development approach has prioritised online matchmaking as the endgame content, we’ve also listened to player feedback. As a result, Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage, launching on October 30, will include a single-player mode inspired by the Quest Mode from Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution (PS2).
Moving forward, we plan to continue responding to player voices and gradually roll out updates over time.”

Who’s your favourite character in the Virtua Fighter series and why?

“My favorite character is Shun Di. I really like his tricky movements and the old-school kung fu vibe. I also relate to his love of drinking!”