Press release: 1996-09-09: SEGA ENTERTAINMENT UNVEILS ITS FIRST NETWORK-COMPATIBLE PC GAME

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: Sega.com (archived)

VIRTUA FIGHTER PC DELIVERS ARCADE ACTION ON THE PC

REDWOOD CITY, CA, September 9, 1996 -- Computer owners who take out their frustration by banging or hitting their computers, be warned. Your PCs may soon have a black belt.

SegaTM Entertainment, Inc. (SEI) began shipping its first "arcade-to-PC" title, "Virtua FighterTM PC," to retailers nationwide this week. "Virtua Fighter PC" is a 3D polygon arcade game for the PC, which offers true plug-and-play gaming without added 3D acceleration. The new enhanced PC version of the world-renown arcade hit now gives PC owners the exhilaration of a $10,000 arcade machine in their home or office PC.

Never before has a game with such fast frame-rates, split-second animation and 3D characters and environments been possible on a PC. Sega Entertainment’s PC translation includes both the original "Virtua Fighter" as well as the high-resolution version, "Virtua Fighter Remix," allowing gamers to customize their own game based on their individual PC’s memory.

"Our mission with the arcade-to-PC games is to deliver the absolute best gameplay available on the PC," said Greg Suarez, business unit director, Sega Entertainment. "By utilizing the power of the Pentium chip and Sega’s 40-year heritage in arcades, we’ve been able to produce a game that blows away any other PC fighting game on the market."

"Virtua Fighter PC" features all eight classic 3D arcade characters: Akira, Sarah, Jacky, Lau, Pai, Wolf, Jeffrey and Kage; texture-mapped polygon graphics; and more than 700 motion rebound fighting moves like Lau’s "Renshin Tenkan Kyaku" (one of the game’s fastest moves) and Pai’s "Hien Toukyaku" (a slick display of speed and agility) creating the most realistic martial arts gameplay available.

To kick-off the launch of "Virtua Fighter PC," Sega Entertainment is offering a special "trade-in" program between September and October 31, 1996. Consumers are encouraged to trade in any PC CD-ROM arcade fighting game and a proof-of-purchase for "Virtua Fighter PC" to receive an $8.00 rebate; details are enclosed with each game. Consumers who trade in their old games will also be automatically entered into a sweepstakes for a "Virtua Fighter" arcade unit valued at more than $10,000. Entries will be accepted through December 31, 1996, and additional sweepstakes prizes include:

    10 second-place prizes: a "Virtua Fighter PC" T-shirt and six Sega Entertainment PC software titles (titles determined by availability);
    25 third-place prizes: a "Virtua Fighter PC" T-shirt. 

Additional entries for the sweepstakes promotions are accepted on-line (http://www.sega.com/segapc/vfcontest) or through 3" x 5" cards mailed in to Sega Entertainment.

In November 1995, Sega Entertainment produced a version of "Virtua Fighter" that required Diamond Multimedia’s Edge 3D acceleration card (utilizing nVidia’s NV1 chip.) Through SEI's advanced programming, which uses the power of the Pentium chip for enhanced graphic clarity and real-time interactivity, the company can now deliver "Virtua Fighter" and other arcade games to the PC in a "native" version, without accelerator card requirements.

"Virtua Fighter PC" utilizes Microsoft's Direct X and Direct 3D development software to enhance the 3D characters and environments. With frame rates topping 30 frames per second for smooth animation and intense fighting action, the game can be played with either a keyboard or standard PC control pads. "Virtua Fighter PC" is recommended for use with Windows 95 and a 100 MHz Pentium processor with 8 MB of RAM, 2X CD-ROM speed and 16-bit audio. Users can reconfigure the game in the "Options" menu to run on lower powered systems, as instructed in the manual. SEI also recommends a Sound Blaster 16 or compatible sound card and SVGA: 256 colors graphics to play this title for greater impact. The arcade-fighting title is available at a suggested retail price of $44.95.

Sega Entertainment, Inc., is a joint venture between Sega of America, the arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Sega Enterprises, Ltd. responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of Sega videogame systems and videogames in the Americas, and SOFTBANK Holdings, Inc., one of the world's largest distributors of computer software, peripherals and systems, as well as Japan's largest publisher of computer-related magazines and books. Sega Entertainment is responsible for creating, marketing and distributing PC-based entertainment which utilizes Sega's arcade and console-based games and characters. The company is headquartered in Redwood City, California.