Why Virtua Fighter Project’s new trailer from EVO makes it a shoo-in for esports

At long last, a new Virtua Fighter title is in the works. After confirming the new title in January this year, codenamed ‘Virtua Fighter Project’, Sega released a new trailer of the game at the esports tournament event EVO on August 3.

It showcased in-game footage for the first time, with two classic characters from the series fighting in what looked like a training arena. It’s already given fans plenty to look forward to, as Sega has confirmed that more information will be revealed at the Tokyo Game Show next month. The series, first appearing in 1993 in arcades and then on the Sega Saturn console in 1994, made a big impression, as it was the first 3D fighting game, and inspired countless franchises, such as Tekken and Mortal Kombat.

The last numbered entry, Virtua Fighter 5, debuted in 2006, and it’s fair to say a lot has changed and evolved in the fighting genre. With this latest game already making a great impression, we put out the case for why Virtua Fighter Project is already looking like a natural fit for esports in 2026.

In the minute-long trailer, showcased at EVO 2025 on August 3, longtime characters of the series, Akira and Sarah, were shown fighting against each other in a training level, which Sega said was all in-game. This was a step up from what’s been shown before, as the company was quick to mention that it was all in-development footage, and not representative of the game itself.

Now, though, it seems to be the case, and while there was no user interface shown, such as health bars, a timer, and more, the minute-long trailer showcased what the newest Virtua Fighter game is capable of. Sega also revealed that more information will be shown at the Tokyo Game Show in September, which could mean we’ll find out the game’s final name, an early roster of characters, and more.

Depth is the hallmark of Virtua Fighter. Its essence lies in how moves can connect and be blocked in quick succession, all seen via various characters and their unique fighting styles. When you play games like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8, their success lies in the combos, unique characters, and balancing system that make them feel like their respective franchises.

Virtua Fighter takes this further, relying on an eight-way directional control stick and three buttons: punch, kick, and guard. Combining some of these buttons in several ways can achieve some special moves and combos, but it all relies on the timing of their opponents missing the moment to guard, or to counter with something else. Virtua Fighter Project’s newest trailer showed that in droves, with Sarah blocking a bunch of moves just in time, adding to the tension, fun, and strategic depth. It’s this hallmark that could make the game shine in esports. While Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 have a bunch of fast-moving combos and unique moves like rage attacks to quickly deplete the opponent’s health bar, Virtua Fighter requires the player to think about how they’re going to use those three buttons. It could be a great watch for viewers from this perspective, but also as a great breath of fresh air to set it apart from the other fighting games.

Another big aspect of the trailer was the physics. At one point, you could see Sarah trying to trip up Akira, and the match would slow down, letting players, and potentially viewers at an esports event, look at a near-miss in detail, instead of a split-second. Furthermore, as Akira would land a combo attack later on, you could see every attack landing, and Sarah reacted with every blow. It looked clean, it looked real, and you could almost feel the attacks Akira was landing. A quick look at the comments below the trailer only reinforces that, with many saying how “Character animations in a 3D fighter are finally getting to the point where punches, kicks, blocking, and dodging look almost natural”. It’s this aspect that could make this next Virtua Fighter title shine at esports, as the combinations of moves landing and being countered could captivate big audiences in different ways from how they’ve seen fights go over in other titles like Tekken and Dragon Ball FighterZ.

Granted, it’s a trailer that lasts just over a minute, but it reveals so much about this latest Virtua Fighter entry in the best way — by focusing on a fight with no music, no quick cuts, no transitions, and flashy titles, just the fight. Because of this and the above factors, it gives the impression that the title could also redefine how a fighting game is played and watched at esports events. With more information being shown at the Tokyo Games Show next month, we may see just how the title could be used at esports events.

Many fans have been waiting for the return of Virtua Fighter, and it’s fair to say that it’s been a longer wait than other franchises. In the space of Virtua Fighter 5 being released in 2006 to now, we’ve seen the blazing return of Street Fighter with its fourth entry in 2008, plenty of Tekken titles, the emergence of DLC, and the thriving esports business.

Many thought that Sega’s fighting series had been retired, especially with its Yakuza series showing remnants of Virtua Fighter through its narrative, certain fighting styles, and being able to play previous games via the arcades. But Virtua Fighter is finally back, and thanks to how positively the latest trailer was received, we’re now in a state of mind where we’d be surprised if the game didn’t appear at several esports events in the near future.