Day one of EVO Japan 2025 has wrapped up, and exA-Arcadia has already used the event to announce two returning arcade fighters: The Rumble Fish 2 Nexus and Spectral Vs. Generation Chaos.
Asia’s largest fighting-game event is once again providing a substantial platform for arcade releases. exA-Arcadia had the largest arcade presence at last year’s show, and its 2025 programme includes at least four new fighting games across the event, with two more announcements promised for day two.
For more arcade news and industry updates, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog.
exA-Arcadia at EVO Japan 2025
The exA-Arcadia booth appears slightly smaller than last year’s installation, but it still features eight sit-down cabinets. Four of those machines are exA-Arcadia ARC-32 cabinets.
Gameplay footage and the initial announcements for both day-one titles appeared during the exALive stream.
The Rumble Fish 2 Nexus
The first announcement brought back a recognisable name from the mid-2000s. The Rumble Fish was developed by Dimps for Sammy and released in 2004 for the Atomiswave, shortly before Sammy merged with Sega. The original performed well enough to receive an updated sequel the following year.
The series returned to attention several years later when 3goo published console and PC versions of both games. The sequel was particularly notable because it had not previously received a home release.
Now exA-Arcadia is taking The Rumble Fish 2 back to arcades with The Rumble Fish 2 Nexus. It follows the game’s 2012 NESiCAxLive port and is expected to include new exclusive content, giving the arcade edition an advantage over the existing home versions.
No release schedule has been confirmed. However, the trailer image credits the game as “Developed & published by © 2025 exA-Arcadia”, suggesting a release later in 2025.
Spectral Vs. Generation Chaos
The second announcement concerns a less widely remembered fighter. Spectral Vs. Generation was released by Taiwanese developer IGS in 2005 and later received several home versions, including a PlayStation 2 port that appears to have been the best-known edition.
exA-Arcadia’s new version, Spectral Vs. Generation Chaos, is another collaboration with IGS and is licensed from co-owner Idea Factory. It follows the companies’ renewed interest in bringing older stick-and-button arcade games back into focus with updated releases.
IGS has more recently concentrated on larger-scale arcade experiences such as Hyper Cross and Monster Eye 3. exA-Arcadia previously announced Demon Front EXA Label late in 2024, although no further information on that project has been reported here. Spectral Vs. Generation Chaos is the next IGS-related revival in the programme.
Like The Rumble Fish 2 Nexus, the game appears to be planned for release later in 2025 and should include improvements over earlier versions. The exALive presentation provides early footage of both new projects.
What Else Is Happening at EVO Japan?
At the time of these announcements, exA-Arcadia was the only company to reveal new arcade games at the event. Bandai Namco presented a pre-release preview of the latest Gundam Extreme VS title, while Sega continued teasing its new console-first Virtua Fighter project. More information on both is expected later.
New fighters for Sega’s APM3 or Taito’s NESiCAxLive platform would likely have a more limited geographic reach, primarily Japan and potentially Round1 USA locations equipped with those systems. exA-Arcadia’s games have a clearer possibility of reaching North American and European arcades, although that depends on operators having exA hardware installed.
For operators considering hardware and cabinet options, RETROCADE’s Arcade Machine Buying Guide offers a useful starting point. The store also has a selection of upright arcade cabinets and arcade parts for venues and home projects.
The Challenge for Fighting Games
The commercial outlook for these games will vary by region. exA-Arcadia has reportedly performed well in Asian markets, with some titles selling more than 1,000 copies and achieving broad distribution. Western operators, however, often prioritise cranes and large redemption machines over dedicated video games because those attractions can generate stronger returns.
That does not mean every operator has abandoned video games. Local arcades that continue to install fighting games need support from the players who want to see them succeed. Playing at home is convenient, but regularly visiting venues with new arcade releases gives operators clearer evidence that the genre still has an audience.
The economics remain difficult. A modest monthly return from an established fighting game may not compare with the income from a successful crane machine in a single week. Stronger performance across the video-game category, supported by both operators and players, would make it easier for arcades to justify investing in new fighters.
exA-Arcadia has at least two additional games to announce on day two of EVO Japan 2025. One of those projects is expected to attract particular interest from Western players, so the next round of reveals should provide a clearer picture of the company’s arcade plans.
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