Free Step Dodge

I'm also wondering if that's the direction they're going in with the next VF, to be a realistic fighting simulator, and maybe that's why they've already come out early to say they'll still be supporting VF5 REVO as the "E-Sports side of the franchise".

3D fighters are basically "fighting simulators" in the way that Gran Turismo is a "racing simulator". VF is not realistic. The only fighting games that are realistic are the EA Sports UFC games. These Japanese 3D fighters don't need to be realistic, they just need to be fun and solid.

VF is still the most realistic non-sports FG series though, tho yeah it's got Dural & a few other fantasy elements lol, & it has strict rules like a game not like real fighting. I guess I'm focusing more on how many random elements & guessing an FG has a a determination of realism. A game is like a chess match, but a real fight isn't like that & comparatively unfair. I'd say both ways provide different kinds of fun.

I think there'd be a market for realistic fantasy, like a game trying to simulate how it'd feel like to actually fight a real dragon as if they existed & you had magic powers. That's kind of how I see VF & DOA compared to other FGs, like close to how it'd be to see a ninja vs a wrestler, although they're still far from as realistic as they could be. I'm just talking perspectives here tho, not advocating for changes.

There can definitely be a market for "Realistic fantasy", just look at Tekken 8. Realism is not really why 3D fighters don't sell besides Tekken. It's because of marketing, perceived complexity, poor presentation, poor single player content and poor online offerings. If VF can nail all of those things, it'll do fine.