Gamers in Japan will get their home port of Virtua Fighter 5 a little earlier than they may have expected. Previously pegged as Spring 2007, Sega will be releasing the game on the early edge of that window, shipping the game February 8 for 8,190 yen (about $70 US).

Sega will also ship the Virtua Stick High Grade a week later for a very affordable 7,329 yen (about $63 US), plus give those who pre-order a copy of the Virtua Fighter 10th Anniversary Reprint Version, a mash-up of Virtua Fighter 4 with the original blocky style Virtua Fighter graphics originally released in limited quantities in 2003.

As I look into my crystal ball, I foresee Sega of America releasing neither the Virtua Stick High Grade nor the 10th Anniversary disc, as that would make thousands of people in North America happy and we're talking about Sega here. So put your import orders in ASAP! Michael McWhertor