Project Century and Virtua Fighter Project Shows Sega's Willingness to Take Risks

Sega's Risk-Taking Approach Fuels RGG Studio's Ambitious Projects

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG Studio) is tackling multiple large-scale projects simultaneously, a feat attributed to Sega's willingness to embrace risk and innovation. Discover the exciting new projects on the horizon for the creators of the Like a Dragon series!

Sega Embraces Risk for New IPs and Concepts

RGG Studio currently has several major projects underway, including a brand-new IP. Despite already planning the next Like a Dragon installment and a Virtua Fighter remake for 2025, they've added two more titles to their development slate. Studio head and director Masayoshi Yokoyama credits Sega's open approach to risk-taking for this opportunity.

In early December, RGG unveiled trailers for two distinct projects within a single week. Project Century, a new IP set in 1915 Japan, debuted at The Game Awards 2025, followed by a trailer for a new Virtua Fighter project (separate from the upcoming Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. remaster) on Sega's official channel. The scale of these projects underscores RGG Studio's ambition, and Sega's confidence in their ability to deliver. This reflects a combination of trust and a commitment to exploring new creative avenues.

Yokoyama highlighted Sega's acceptance of potential failure as a key factor: "I think a good aspect of Sega is that it accepts the possibility of failure. It doesn’t just keep pursuing the kind of projects it knows are a safe bet," he told Famitsu, as translated by Automaton Media. He suggests this risk-taking is inherent to Sega's DNA, citing the creation of Shenmue as an example of their willingness to experiment. The action-adventure series originated from the question, "What if we made ‘VF’ into an RPG?"

RGG Studio assures fans that the simultaneous development of these projects won't compromise quality, particularly for the Virtua Fighter series. Series creator Yu Suzuki has voiced his support for the new project, and Yokoyama, along with Virtua Fighter Project producer Riichiro Yamada, and their team are committed to delivering a high-quality product. They "have no intention of making something half-baked."

Yamada added, "With the new ‘VF,’ we intend to create something innovative that a wide range of people will find ‘cool and interesting!’ Whether you're a fan of the series or not, we hope you'll look forward to more information. Stay tuned!" Yokoyama echoed this sentiment, expressing his hope that gamers will eagerly anticipate both upcoming titles.