Train2Game students are slightly spoiled when it comes to fighting games right now. Street Fighter is going strong, Tekken is still very popular and these two franchises are even coming together with Street Fighter X Tekken set for release in 2012.

And while fighting games may be booming, Team Ninja’s Yosuke Hayashi, believes that the game design of fighters hasn’t changed much. Hayashi is currently leading development of Dead or Alive 5. Dead or Alive Dimensions for the 3DS was released earlier this year.

“To be completely honest, after Dead or Alive 4 we weren’t sure what the future was going to be.”

We were trying to think of something new, but we weren’t getting any ideas of what to do for 5,” Hayashi told Siliconera.

“Then we saw Street Fighter IV and the fighting genre come back because in a large part of Capcom and what they were doing. For all of the fighting games that came out we looked at them, but there was something wrong”

They looked great with updated graphics and had online gameplay, but the gameplay itself hasn’t changed. It’s still the gameplay we’ve had for years.” he said, adding that Team Ninja want to change the fighting genre.

Hayashi describes Dead or Alive 5 as ‘Fighting Entertainment”

“We’re looking for simple, but deep fighting entertainment. We’re not looking to be a technical hardcore fighter. We want a game that a lot of people can have fun with, but people who want that depth can find it.” he said.

As reported by the Train2Game blog, Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada believes that simple game design helps encourage people to try out the series.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Hayashi’s comments? Do fighting games need to evolve, or can they survive without changing?

Leave your comments on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Siliconera]