SEGA has officially announced the VIRTUA FIGHTER Open Championship, marking the first-ever global tournament for the beloved fighting game series. The competition will run on Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O., the latest version that dropped for PC earlier this year.
The championship will start with qualifiers across four regions worldwide. The first round is happening at COMBO BREAKER 2025 in Chicago from May 23-25, giving North American players first crack at qualifying.
Don’t worry if you’re not in North America – SEGA has confirmed that Europe and Asia will get their own qualifying rounds later on. Japanese players get a dedicated qualifier too, showing some hometown love for the series’ origins.
Winners from each regional qualifier will advance to the Grand Final Tournament, where they’ll battle for a whopping $100,000 prize. However, the full schedule and location are yet to announced.
This global championship shows SEGA is investing heavily in the Virtua Fighter community again. Tournament organizers aim to build excitement ahead of the new Virtua Fighter project teased at The Game Awards 2024, which is being developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA AM2.
The timing lines up nicely with other fighting game events, including EVO Japan 2025 (May 9-11), where Virtua Fighter will have its own special tournament.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. itself is a major upgrade for the series. Released on Steam this January, it finally brings rollback netcode for smoother online play, supports 4K resolution at 60 FPS, and includes balance tweaks that competitive players have been requesting for years. It is also Steam Deck verified.
Despite the modern upgrades, R.E.V.O. stays true to what makes Virtua Fighter special. The game keeps its roster of 19 fighters and the classic three-button system (Punch, Kick, Guard) that fans know and love.
According to SEGA’s development team, they’re committed to supporting the game long-term, with regular updates adding new features. The most recent patch on March 27 added much-requested options like match ping display and custom button mapping.
If you’re interested in competing or just want more info about the qualifiers, check out the official Virtua Fighter website for all the details on rules and registration.
This championship represents SEGA’s renewed focus on competitive gaming and shows they’re serious about bringing Virtua Fighter – one of the original 3D fighting games – back to prominence in the fighting game community.
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