Virtua Fighter, Onimusha, Okami, Ninja Gaiden... The Game Awards 2024 Was A Good Night For Classic Gaming Fans 1
Image: Capcom / Koei Tecmo / Saber Interactive

The Game Awards took place last night, and delivered a cavalcade of surprising announcements – many of which will have been of particular interest to fans of classic gaming.

While the event was punctuated by some new releases – such as Naughty Dog's Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, FromSoftware's Elden Ring: Nightreign and Hazelight's Split Fiction, there were plenty of new titles which are able to call upon decades of history and recognition.

Here are some of the highlights we've picked out from a pretty exciting night.

Virtua Fighter

Sega finally announced a new entry in the Virtua Fighter series, which is being developed by Ryu ga Gotoku Studio.

We got to see some short footage of Akira and Sarah Bryant locked in combat, but no confirmed platforms as yet – although it would be safe to say that PS5 and Xbox Series X/S will be getting this, along with PC.

Turok Origins

Famous for its groundbreaking N64 debut, the Turok series is back with Turok Origins, which is in development at Saber Interactive.

The big news is that it will be a third-person adventure rather than an FPS, and you'll be able to experience its campaign with three players.

There's no release date as yet, but we know it's coming to PS5.

Onimusha: The Way Of The Sword

Capcom surprised everyone with this announcement, as we haven't had a (proper) entry in the Onimusha series since 2006's Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams.

The bad news is that Onimusha: The Way Of The Sword isn't expected until 2026, so there's quite a wait ahead.

Okami

This was another welcome surprise from Capcom – even more so when you consider that former Capcom staffer Hideki Kamiya is involved, along with "various staff members of the original Okami: M-TWO Inc., Machine Head Works Inc., and CLOVERS Inc."

It sounds like this Okami sequel is still a long way from being finished, but it's nice to know that Capcom still has time for some of its older properties.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

Classic action series Ninja Gaiden is back, with Koei Tecmo joining forces with Dotemu (TMNT: Shredder's Revenge) and The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous) to create a new 2D entry.

Starring a new protagonist, Kenji Mozu, the game is coming to all major formats in Summer 2025.

Shadow Labyrinth

This was quite the shock – it's a Pac-Man game, but one unlike any we've seen previously.

A dark and moody Metroidvania outing which is being overseen by Tekken Producer Katsuhiro Harada, Shadow Labyrinth is coming in 2025.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

The Sonic Racing series has been thrilling fans for a while, and has consistently delivered a solid alternative to Mario Kart.

It's set to continue with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, which is coming to all major formats "soon".

Screamer

Now, this was one we didn't have on our 2024 bingo card.

The original Screamer hit PCs back in the mid-90s and was positioned as an alternative to console racers like Ridge Racer and Daytona USA.

Original developer Milestone (which was previously known as Graffiti) is handling development duties, so you know it's in good hands.