Yu Suzuki on Virtua Fighter and Taking on New Challenges | September 2026 Sega Feature

Sega recently published a feature looking back over its 30-year relationship with NVIDIA, from the early days of 3D graphics through to the technology being used for the upcoming Virtua Fighter Crossroads.

It includes comments from Yu Suzuki, both in the article and in an accompanying video, in which he recalls Sega’s approach to developing cutting-edge 3D technology in the 1990s, his first meeting with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, and his impressions on seeing the latest Virtua Fighter in action.

We have translated some of the highlights from Suzuki's comments below.

The Sega × NVIDIA event held in Akihabara in July 2026. Image: SEGA / @sega_official

Bringing Arcade Technology to the Home

During the early 1990s, Sega was at the forefront of the transition from 2D graphics to real-time 3D polygons. Its MODEL 1 arcade hardware powered titles including Virtua Racing in 1992 and Virtua Fighter the following year.

• Related PRS post: Virtua Fighter's Connection to Virtua Racing's Pit Crew

Looking back at Sega’s development approach at the time, Suzuki explains that the arcade business provided an opportunity to experiment with advanced technology before adapting the knowledge gained for home consoles:

“We would take on advanced technology in the arcades, then bring the know-how we gained into the home-console space. To put it in more impressive terms, it was like an F1 team taking technology developed through Formula One and applying it to ordinary road cars.”

With Sega looking toward increasingly sophisticated 3D graphics, the company began exploring the development of dedicated graphics hardware with a number of companies. One of these was NVIDIA, which at the time was still a young start-up.

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Poll Result: Patrons' Choice Topic for September 2026

Every month Phantom River Stone holds a poll among our patrons to choose a topic for the blog in the coming month. After tallying the votes (including accumulated votes from previous months), the winning topic that has been voted this time is:

"Translation of an early Muecas edition" 

Before the eccentric Muecas Dan became a regular feature on the official Shenmue website, it began life in February 2001 as Shenmuecast FAN, part of Sega AM2’s online magazine. The name “Muecas” (ムーキャス) was formed by combining abbreviated versions of “Shenmue” and “cast,” reflecting the feature’s focus on the actors behind the game’s characters.

The first installment, Vol. 01, saw Masaya Matsukaze, the Japanese voice and motion actor for Ryo Hazuki, respond to readers seeking advice on their problems. It also showcased some of the unusual ways in which Japanese fans expressed their love for Shenmue.

The Weekly AM2 staff also joined in with their own contributions, including a series of romantic scenes inspired by Nozomi and Ryo... staged by two male staff members.

Two Weekly AM2 staff members recreate a tender moment between Nozomi and Ryo.

Other highlights included a mysterious package sent in by a reader containing a pair of handcuffs bearing Ryo and Ren’s names.

Takumi Hagiwara and Masaya Matsukaze try on a reader’s Ryo-and-Ren handcuffs,

In this upcoming article, we will present an English translation of Shenmuecast FAN Vol. 01, originally published on February 6, 2001, offering a lively glimpse of the Shenmue cast and Japanese fan community in the months leading up to the release of Shenmue II.

Coming soon to the blog!

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