Yu Suzuki, the mastermind behind the popular Sega game Virtua Fighter, has announced his plans to launch the game’s characters as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), much to the delight of its fanbase. Suzuki will be collaborating with OASYX, an NFT protocol, to create 1,000 Virtua Fighter digital collectibles based on 11 Virtua Fighter characters from the game’s first three titles.

OASYX has revealed that these NFTs will serve as the foundation for the game’s future Metaverse avatars, with Suzuki overseeing the project as the former director of the popular fighting game from the 1990s.

Despite leaving his role as director of Sega in 2009, Suzuki has maintained a close relationship with the company he dedicated his creative talent and time to. With increasing demands from fans for Sega to release NFTs for some of its well-known titles, it seemed appropriate for the former director to lead the project.

Sega will own the intellectual property (IP) for the new digital creations, as is the case with the game. However, Suzuki will be granted the freedom to shape the NFT project to his best ability. This collaboration will evoke fond memories for the game he developed in 1993 using “innovative 3D computer graphics technology, which was cutting-edge and industry-leading at the time.”

Over the years, Virtua Fighter has amassed a significant following, and the NFTs aim to strengthen the bond between fans and the game by providing unique and exciting experiences. Suzuki acknowledges the challenge and expresses his enthusiasm, stating, “Through my work supervising the development of OASYX’s unique worldview, I am delighted to combine innovative technology in the form of blockchain-based NFTs, with three titles from the Virtua Fighter series to create new entertainment for a wide range of gaming fans.”