SEGA has revealed Virtua Fighter Crossroads, the new name for the next entry in the Virtua Fighter series. The game is set to release in 2027.
After a splashy Summer Game Fest trailer, they hosted a dedicated showcase in the wee hours of the night for us. Check out the SGF trailer first
And then the showcase:
In a reveal that makes me think about how the original Shenmue was a spin-off to the early Sega Saturn Virtua Fighter games, Virtua Fighter Crossroads is much more than just a fighting game, and promises a deep narrative-drive action-adventure that will feel familiar to fans of Ryu Ga Gotoku’s other work.
In addition to 1v1 fights, the game will expand to multi-opponent brawls and boss encounters, and while story is a newfound focus, there will be a full suite of local and online options for the purist fighting game fans.
But what about that story? RGG has brought together a writing team with Scenario Writer Shinji Yamamoto coming from the Persona series, Scenario Director Tsyoshi Furata from Like A Dragon and Judgment, as well as Brad Kane as lead writer (As Dusk Falls, Ghost of Tsushima, You vs. Wild: Out Cold), and David Hayter as the Wold Building Supervisor.
Crossroads takes players to a world without guns, meaning that crime syndicate now rely on fisticuffs.
Here’s the plot breakdown:
“The use of firearms in this city will be punished by death.”
President Bato has made Vilasapara a key part of his reelection campaign, as he positions the city’s “Vila Fight Fest” as the solution to the country’s economic woes. He seeks to bring the underground fighting tournament to the world stage as a national sport. His plans are probably unrelated to the recent series of attacks on martial artists by a man dubbed The Bakunawa Killer, but who can truly say.
It is at this crossroads that the fates of four strangers will intersect, causing phantoms from decades past begin to stir… and changing the city of Vilasapara forever.
Known as the “City of Martial Arts,” this island city is composed of multiple distinct districts, including a walled central city, entertainment districts, and resort areas. In addition to the main storyline, players can explore various side stories and quests, each featuring unique locations tied to each narrative and highlighting the connections formed with the locals.
Sounds pretty wild, if you ask me. And I think we’re all familiar with how law abiding criminal gangs can be when it comes to both gun use and capital punishment.
Source: Summer Game Fest, press release
