Type: a summary of the official concept video shown in NVIDIA’s CES 2025 keynote and contemporary coverage.
On January 6, 2025, a pre-development concept video for New VIRTUA FIGHTER Project was introduced during NVIDIA’s CES 2025 keynote.
The roughly 35-second clip was shown in NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang’s keynote and then posted on the official Virtua Fighter channel.
The project itself had already been announced at The Game Awards 2024 as a full new entry from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (related article).
Even at this point the final title, platforms and release date were still unannounced, and the game was presented only as New VIRTUA FIGHTER Project.
What the footage shows
The video centers on a close-quarters fight in a narrow alley, with staging that uses the environment and camera movement.
The fighters on screen appear to be Akira, and reports such as VGC noted that both characters in the clip read as Akira.
Their look differs from the familiar white-gi image, and producer Riichiro Yamada later said Akira’s design in the clip was a prototype.
On-screen text stated: “Pre-development in-engine footage. Not actual gameplay.”
SEGA’s “pre-development concept” label
Official materials described the clip as a concept video created before full development began.
It was in-engine footage, but SEGA made clear it was not a playable build or a demo of finalized combat systems.
Viewers were also told that actual gameplay and characters may differ from what was shown.
According to EventHubs reporting on January 7, producer Riichiro Yamada said on X (Twitter) that the concept demo was created in about a month after planning.
Yamada also said Akira’s design in the clip was a prototype, and that the team would work to deliver a new experience.
He distinguished it from a brief Akira vs Stella fight in The Game Awards reveal trailer, which he confirmed was actual gameplay.
Asked whether gameplay would be close to the CES clip, Yamada replied: “That’s what the concept footage is all about.”
Community reaction at the time
Some viewers initially treated the keynote clip as real match footage, which is why SEGA and the developers restated that it was not gameplay.
Discussion also continued on Reddit about whether cinematic cameras and environmental staging could survive competitive matches.
View the Reddit discussion thread
What this video did not confirm
The concept video alone does not confirm inputs, frame data, a final roster or release details.
How the alley staging and camera work would map onto actual match rules was also still unannounced.
A clearer look at real combat presentation arrived later with the August 2025 EVO combat gameplay first look (related article).
Only details confirmed by the official video disclaimer, SEGA/developer statements and contemporary reporting are included here.
Sources