1Up got a one-up interview during the Tokyo Game Show with the developers of Virtua Fighter 5. Designer Tohru Murayama and producer Noriyuki Shimoda talked about the Xbox 360 online multiplayer function of the game.

It was explained last time that the main reason VF5 almost didn't get an online multiplayer function was because the game required pinpoint accuracy to execute moves, and a lag from the network would definitely put some players off, especially the hardcore ones. In fact, their first tests did indeed suffer some serious issues with lagging.

While the final version of VF5 may suffer some lag as well, they're hoping that the opportunity to battle with real people online may make up for it. Let's face it: lag is often inevitable but there's no beating the feeling of whooping a human than an AI player. (They have been able to improve the AI though.)

Maryanna explains that players will be able to adapt to the adjustments needed during online play, given that their connection is stable. Player input is key and will always take priority to keep timing as accurate as possible. We'll get to see its performance for ourselves when the game comes out on October 30.

Due to Microsoft Xbox 360's low popularity in Japan, Sega is having second thoughts about releasing a Japanese version of Virtua Fighter 5 (PS3, Xbox 360) for the Xbox 360.

Since its December 2005 launch date, only 400,000 Xbox 360 units were sold in Japan, way behind the Sony PlayStation 3 (1 million) and the Nintendo Wii's numbers (3 million).

"We haven't decided if we'll release Virtua Fighter 5 in Japan because of that," said lead designer Tohru Murayama. "But if we [can only release the game] for the US or EU markets, we just hope Virtua Fighter 5 will be a key title which encourages people to buy Xbox 360s."

Sega has really gone through a lot with their Virtua Fighter franchise. Especially since the recent PS3-cross-over-to-360, are they still even keeping track of their roots? Here's Games Radar's exclusive interview with developers Tohru Murayama and Yoshihiro Tsuzuku about Virtua Fighter 5 to answer just that.

The video interview starts by talking about delivering the PS3 version to the Microsoft market with its own Xbox 360 version. They actually had to beg the company to go ahead with expanding to other next-gens. And since the Xbox 360 already had Dead or Alive stacked as its best fighting game, what chance did Sega have to break into that market? Face it, DoA is BIG... in a lot of aspects.

Compared Virtua Fighter to DoA though, it was explained to be a difference between your approach on developing the fighting game. DoA was said to be more a character-driven. In light of this, they spring-boarded onto the Virtua Fighter franchise as a whole and what its philosophy is. The answer: game balance. This is something that they've studiously kept throughout the whole series, no matter what the platform. In fact, since VF games would come out in their arcade version first, their goal was to bring some arcade loving into your living room.

Check out the full interview behind the Read link below!

Tohru Murayama, lead Game Designer in the research and development department of AM2 at Sega of Japan, was kind enough to give us an inside look at Virtua Fighter 5 (PS3 and Xbox 360).

There were two teams assigned to the project. The arcade team focused on the technical stuff, like how much damage will a certain attack cause and how to explain Taka's absence and Lucha Libre's debut while the PS3 team worked on content and PS3 features.

According to Murayama, they improved the quest mode by playing Virtua Fighter 4 and trying to pinpoint where they went wrong. In the new installment, players would be able to visit all the arcades from the beginning of the game and not have to work from one arcade to the next by winning championships.

There are seven arcades available. Cabinets were added in the arcades enabling players to choose their opponents. Players can choose who to fight but if a player is defeated, their opponent will be stuck in that particular cabinet. So the way to progress is to - well, duh - beat that particular opponent. The good thing is, you don't have to hunt him down for your revenge. He'll be exactly where you left him.

Well, we can only wait to find out whether this is as good as it sounds until the game comes out next month.