According to Gamefront in all its direct-link-lacking glory, Sega has confirmed that the Xbox 360 version of Virtua Fighter 5 will be online-compatible, allowing gamers to play via Xbox Live. This might come as a kick of sand in the faces of PlayStation 3 owners because, of course, VF5 lacks online play in its original PS3 incarnation. Wow, sucks to be Sony … again.
Originally, the game’s developers stated that they would eschew online play for their game due to the fact that network play would affect the fluidity of the action and damage the framerate, something that’s very important to hardcore fighting game veterans. It now seems however, that for some reason or other, be it pressure from Microsoft or just an old fashioned change of heart, that this stance has been abandoned in favor of enhancing the Xbox 360 iteration of VF5 with Live capabilities. Not only that, but an improved Quest mode, an online leaderboard and new items along with improvements right across the whole game have all been confirmed too. Excuse me while my monocle pops off in surprise.
There’s very little left to comment on, the news says it all really. While fighting game fanatics probably won’t care for the network play, due to their vampiric thirst for frames, this truly is another hefty punch in the groin that the much-maligned PlayStation 3 could have done without. When an opposing console is not only cheaper, but offering the same games with extra content, well, you don’t need us to spell it out for you.
[Mega thanks to Joe Burling. Your usual supply of wolves will be sent via mail.]
