Submit your desire for VF5R outside of Japan...

There seems to be a misunderstanding
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> vf? it's that one game sega fanboys and game journalist types wank to. </div></div>
... Then how can this
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... VF5 sold like, 1 million copies combined on the PS3 and the 360 ... </div></div>
and this
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... top 10 in the arcades, million seller (Million + in the case of VF4 ...</div></div>
be true?

That popularity seems to transcend just the fanboy crowd. Either that, or I missed all the recent five star Sonic titles that are fueling the Sega fandom.

 

... Then how can this
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... VF5 sold like, 1 million copies combined on the PS3 and the 360 ... </div></div>
and this
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... top 10 in the arcades, million seller (Million + in the case of VF4 ...</div></div>
be true?

That popularity seems to transcend just the fanboy crowd. Either that, or I missed all the recent five star Sonic titles that are fueling the Sega fandom. </div></div>

selling a million copies (especially between two platforms) is nothing to brag about. not in the age of guitar hero and wii sports. it's actually rather embarrassing, considering that the japanese sales alone weren't enough to break a million.

also, according to vgchartz (whatever you may think of it's credibility, it's the only source other than the equally flawed npd) the ps3 version only sold 500k copies and the 360 version 200k for a grand total of 700k; not even three quarters of a million.

keep in mind as well that sega had terrible release dates for both versions and don't want to repeat that mistake again. the ps3 version came on the heels of a terrible launch and the 360 version came out two days after guitar hero 3 (not to mention in the same month as portal and tf2). the last thing sega wants is another vf game to tank due to poor timing of the release, and as it stands, vf has possibly the smallest scene and fanbase of any competitive fighter out there.

i want R to come out as much as the next guy, but i think now it's a matter of if, not when, sega will release it. the game is losing steam on all fronts (in the japanese arcade of all places, too) and it's future looks bleak. i'll buy it on launch day, as will most people here, but that doesn't mean anything when you have games like sf4 which break sales records for the genre within less than a month of being out.

 

A game doesn't need to be a best-selling top of the charts to generate profit. Just saying

 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">keep in mind as well that sega had terrible release dates for both versions...</div></div>
Definitely; I hope Sega realizes this, and does not give up on its flagship fighting series. Hopefully the interlude between SF4 and T6 looks enticing enough to spur on Sega.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the game is losing steam on all fronts (in the japanese arcade of all places, too)</div></div>
Japanese arcades as a whole are losing steam. Does Sega want to compete in the console fighter market, or are they satisfied with letting the VF series be relegated to a handful of arcade cabinets in Japan?

 

I can see your point, but I would definitely call the VF community an established fanbase. The fanbase is mostly in Japan, but it's there. And while I can see how the success of games like SFIV and the obvious future success of Tekken 6 could scare Sega off, it could also grow the market for fighting games in general and make a console release of VF5R more profitable.

Yeah, I agree. Selling a million (or 750,000 as you corrected me. Thanks, my info was out of date I guess /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif ) isn't fantastic, but the thing is, it's not bad in terms of Sega's normal sales numbers. Most of Sega's recently released games either do even worse than VF5 did (like only 250,000 or 500,000 copies), or only slightly better (1 million copies or so). And while I wish Sega's games would be selling better, that shows that VF5 sold at a normal rate for Sega. But yeah, that doesn't change the fact that their sales numbers are bad when compared to other companies, you're definitely right about that. Hopefully though, Sega's line up of games this year like Madworld, Yakuza 3 and Bayonetta will sell really well and put Sega in a better finacial position.

Personally, I think VF5R has a good chance of being released to consoles... But it wouldn't surprise me if Sega only released it in Japan. If they did that though, hopefully they'd make it region free for the PS3 and/or 360 so that people in other countries that wanted to play it could just import it. In regard to the game losing steam in the arcades: I'm hoping version B, or even a possible console release will bring a lot of new players to, let's be honest, the best game ever, VF5R.

And yeah, I'll buy VF5R on launch day too (and I'd pay $300.00 for it), and buy any DLC Sega releases for it, no matter how overpriced, in a heartbeat /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

Tell Sega you want VF5R at E3

With Version B coming out soon and E3 a mere 34 days away I think it's about time to overwhelm Sega.com with emails asking for VF5R Version B on consoles. So if you haven't already, tell Sega.com you want Virtua Fighter 5 R on PS3 and Xbox 360 at E3!

If I may quote InstantOverhead from page 20:

Thanks for the info Instant. I didn't even know about Sega Pass before this.

I submitted a ticket last month, and I did get a response back (eventually...). It didn't say anything that important aside from this: "the development team is still considering the possibility of releasing Virtua Fighter 5 R in the United States", but they said that nothing had been formally decided (Big surprise...). It didn't seem like an email bot, but I don't care if it was. I just think that it's important to let Sega of America/Europe know that we all want VF5R Version B on consoles at E3.

If the response that they sent me was indeed true, then I think we still have a chance at seeing VF5R at E3. Keep sending those emails to Sega.com and Sega.jp!

By the way, use the "Other/Not Listed" department when you send your ticket.

Edit: Wow, my previous post is still the last one?? Man, I killed this thread! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif I think it's time to revive it.

 

Re: Tell Sega you want VF5R at E3

Wow, maybe they actually listen/care after all?

I agree, anyone who wants to see a console release should submit a ticket ASAP!

 

Re: Tell Sega you want VF5R at E3

I submitted a ticket to Sega about this as well. I pointed out all the reasons WHY they should release VF5R on console too, but I'm not sure how much a customer service rep can do about it /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

Anyway, heres the email I got back today:

"Thanks for your follow-up regarding Virtua Fighter 5R. At this time there are no official announcements regarding the release or development of a Virtua Fighter title forthcoming from Sega of America. There may be a change in that closer to E3 or at E3 however that information would be released through official Sega channels. At this point, customer support does not have any further information regarding the title.

Thanks again for your inquiry!"


Before anyone freaks out, I'm the one that mentioned E3 first, so his mention of the convention might just be in response to me. Still though, theres reason to keep hope alive!

 

Re: Tell Sega you want VF5R at E3

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Thanks for your follow-up regarding Virtua Fighter 5R. At this time there are no official announcements regarding the release or development of a Virtua Fighter title forthcoming from Sega of America. There may be a change in that closer to E3 or at E3 however that information would be released through official Sega channels. At this point, customer support does not have any further information regarding the title.

Thanks again for your inquiry!

Rob
Sega Customer Support</div></div>
I submitted one last night and they got back to me this morning. Tuesdays must be ticket days for whichever robot handles the questions.

 

Re: Tell Sega you want VF5R at E3

I signed up and sent support ticket as well.

This is what my message says....

"Are there any plans to bring Virtua Fighter 5R to consoles? Will there maybe be an announcement at e3?
I bought a ps3 and xbox specifically to play virtua fighter and was wondering if there is any hope of vf5r getting a console release. Thanks in advance!"

Any bit helps guys and i'm gonna get some friends to send some of these as well. I think something that isn't a copy/paste might be more effective. What do we have to lose besides a few minutes? /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

Re: Tell Sega you want VF5R at E3

done deal! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

Re: Tell Sega you want VF5R at E3

I submitted a lengthy ticket for this.
I would eat my own right foot if it meant I could have this game in my house.
I would just hop around on the left foot. It'd be kinda cute. I'd be like a kangaroo or something.

 

Re: Submit your desire for VF5R outside of Japan..

and this
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... top 10 in the arcades, million seller (Million + in the case of VF4 ...</div></div>
be true?


700,000 * $60 = $42,000,000



That popularity seems to transcend just the fanboy crowd. Either that, or I missed all the recent five star Sonic titles that are fueling the Sega fandom. </div></div>

selling a million copies (especially between two platforms) is nothing to brag about. not in the age of guitar hero and wii sports. it's actually rather embarrassing, considering that the japanese sales alone weren't enough to break a million.

also, according to vgchartz (whatever you may think of it's credibility, it's the only source other than the equally flawed npd) the ps3 version only sold 500k copies and the 360 version 200k for a grand total of 700k; not even three quarters of a million.

keep in mind as well that sega had terrible release dates for both versions and don't want to repeat that mistake again. the ps3 version came on the heels of a terrible launch and the 360 version came out two days after guitar hero 3 (not to mention in the same month as portal and tf2). the last thing sega wants is another vf game to tank due to poor timing of the release, and as it stands, vf has possibly the smallest scene and fanbase of any competitive fighter out there.

i want R to come out as much as the next guy, but i think now it's a matter of if, not when, sega will release it. the game is losing steam on all fronts (in the japanese arcade of all places, too) and it's future looks bleak. i'll buy it on launch day, as will most people here, but that doesn't mean anything when you have games like sf4 which break sales records for the genre within less than a month of being out. </div></div>

700,000 * $60 = $42,000,000 /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

Quash, just curious dude, don't you think 42 million is a lot of money. Even if you realize that Sega didn't get the whole 42 mil, and got somewhere between 30 to 38 mil, don't you think that more than paid for a game that has a 10 year+ codebase?
Its not like they had to start this project from scratch. Even if its on a new platform, they're building it on 10 years of
software development experience with this game. They own all
the intellectual property for the characters already.

Okay, so its no guitar hero or wii. So what /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

Even if after all of the expenses against the sales have been subtracted and Sega ended up with 10 or 15 million dollars
for VF5. Dude, that's nice money on a 10 year old idea thats just been refurbished to run on a new computer.

IMHO if we don't see VF5R on the consoles, it has nothing to do with whether VF itself is profitable. Sega has long since recoooped /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif their money back on the design and development and deployment of virtua fighter game. They may feel they can get more bang for the buck elsewhere. It could be as simple as that.

It may very well be the case that the games in the fighting genre don't make as much money as COD, guitar Hero, Wii Fit, etc,
but they do make money. And there is a steady market for them, and the game companies have already written the code. So these games will always be revenue generators for the gaming companies that own them. Its a matter of what marketing space they want to be in at the time that determines how much emphasis they put on
their fighting game catalogs.

The next release of VF, Tekken, DOA, Soul Calibur, etc, may not come out as fast as we would like, or as often as we would like,
but the next release will come out and they'll keep coming out until people simply don't buy them anymore. And that's not going
to happen in your life time /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

Re: Submit your desire for VF5R outside of Japan..

Submitted.

 

Re: Tell Sega you want VF5R at E3

I sent mine too, yup. I did something good today.

 

Re: Submit your desire for VF5R outside of Japan..

Exactly. People have to realize that some games don't NEED to sell millions upon millions to generate profit. VF as you said is a 10-year old refurbished code, the cost is there, but over 200k sales should suffice. Hell, SEGA and MS just released VF5 PLATINUM for 360 in Japan (which is the same game with discounted price, something they only do for games that have broken a certain benchmark in sales/profit). That should be an indicative that VF5 didn't blow as hard as people like to make it sound.

Besides, think about it, back in 2007 the PS3 install base was minimal, even in Japan, and the 360's wasn't that great either. Now, 2 years later, things are looking completely different and there are a lot more gamers who made the jump to the new generation, and a lot more people interested in fighting games as well.

If VF5R is not released on consoles it hardly has anything to do with the sales, but rather with SEGA's wish and current strategy.

 

Re: Submit your desire for VF5R outside of Japan..

"Hi,

Thank you for contacting SEGA Europe.

Unfortunately I do not have any information regarding this title at this time.

I recommend that you visit http://www.sega.co.uk/news/?t=EnglishUK.

Here you will find the latest news and information on all upcoming SEGA titles.


Kind Regards,

John"

 

Re: Submit your desire for VF5R outside of Japan..

I got the exact same thing Crazy_Galaxy got. Damn Sega /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

 

Re: Submit your desire for VF5R outside of Japan..

Ditto.

I wrote back to John.

 

Re: Submit your desire for VF5R outside of Japan..

Unfortunately, (not sure if you're aware, but just saying) code doesn't work that way.

Even if the moves are the same as before, "porting" over a game from platform to platform means programming the game according to that console. Even if Sega developed a software engine (e.g. water processing), the behavior from that software still needs to be converted to code compatible with the platform. So for each platform, you still need to write a significant amount of code + test (which can take a long-ass time).

I myself said thought that the upcoming T6 game for PSP was going to recycle the graphic code from Tekken DR PSP, but apparently, that's not the case - thanks to all the environmental behaviors, and their intention to make the graphics better ("at least on par") than PSP DR, they had to redo the entire game from scratch.

However, I'm not disagreeing that 5R would be "cheap" to port to the consoles.

In fact, since VF5R is an "update" of VF5. I would think that if they did not need to rewrite the graphics code, but merely make adjustments, the game would not be that costly to port (especially since there are already existing ports of VF5 for both platforms, hence, as you said, the code is already there).

So while I am saying that code a decade old isn't going to cut it because of multiple factors, that's not necessarily the case here, and I do agree that in the unfortunate event that 5R doesn't get ported over to console, it would indeed be because of Sega's strategy, and not a cost-based decision.