Can you give us an initial assessment of the launch of The King of Fighters XV? Are the sales of the game up to your expectations? And can you give us the number of copies distributed worldwide?
YO: We are really happy with the results of the game overall, from the fan reactions to the sales in general.
In your eyes, has KOF XV relaunched the license like Street Fighter IV did for Capcom in its day?
YO: We had already received a positive reception and we had achieved good commercial results on KOF XIVthis time we brought back a lot of iconic characters that players loved a lot, and it helped build momentum and reinforce it.
With more than a thousand players registered during EVO, propelling it into the TOP 4 of the most popular games of the tournament, KOF XV has made a remarkable entry into the e-sports scene. What are your plans in the future to promote it even more in this field? And how do you explain this success compared to a KOF XIV which had aroused much less fervor 5 years ago?
YO: Even before EVO, we did four online tournaments, the ICFCs, which were a great success. We will seek to strengthen our presence in online tournaments.
Now for the announcement that sent shivers down the spine of EVO spectators. A sequel to Mark Of The Wolves was supposed to see the light of day 20 years ago before being abandoned. Can you explain to us why? And do you intend to use all or some of the character designs that were imagined at the time?
YO: Regarding the cancellation of this sequel: it was mainly due to the situation of the company and the timing of the development. SNK was approaching bankruptcy. People were leaving the company. In terms of content, we brought back a lot of the creatives who had worked on this prototype and on the first game. Obviously, a lot of time passed between the two. We therefore had to rethink our approach. It’s a completely new game, but some characters will return, some won’t.
What did you think of the concept art made by Lizardcube last year? Have you been in direct contact with them following its dissemination on social networks?
YO: Yes, of course, we have seen it. We have already spoken with Lizardcube, but nothing professional, informal on events. We are big fans of their work.
Will Nobuyuki Kuroki and other members of the first Mark Of The Wolves development team still working at SNK be involved in this sequel?
YO: Of course, we have employees like Mr. Kuroki working on the project. But we also contacted former members of SNK, who are no longer there today, to help us with development.
The successes of Samurai Shodown and KOF XV are they at the origin of the validation of the project?
YO: To be able to bring back a license like Samurai Shodownwho was absent for a long time, and who was so successful on her return, it was a good sign to show us that we had to continue on this path.
Besides, why did you choose to relaunch the Samurai Shodown license before Fatal Fury?
YO: There are many different reasons for this. One of the key reasons is the uniqueness of the license, industry-wide or even SNK-wide. There is nothing very comparable to Samurai Shodown, so it’s easier to find a place. And then one of our superiors was really a big fan of all things samurai gestures… (laughter)
KOF XV’s adoption of netcode rollback and cross-play has been warmly welcomed by gamers. Do you intend to do the same with this new Fatal Fury? And, more generally, what lessons learned from the development of KOF XV do you intend to apply to that of New Fatal Fury?
YO: Indeed, the reception of netcode rollback was very good. That’s why we’re going to include it in Samurai Shodown, through a free update next year. For the moment, it is not yet fully implemented. We will also have cross play integral. Take these features keys for the community, and adding them to our future games, that’s really our goal.
With the success of Samurai Shodown, then KOF XV and finally the announcement of this new Fatal Fury, it seems that SNK has entered a new era of prosperity. What other historic licenses would you like to resurrect? And do you plan to create new licenses in the future?
YO: On our side, there is always this desire to bring back these licenses from the beginning of the Neo Geo, the golden age in a way: Samurai Shodown, Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting… There is a whole fan base built around it. We want to bring back this feeling. There are plenty of different licenses lying dormant in the SNK library that could be brought back. But we are always interested in doing new things and developing new licenses.
Your return to SNK after working on Street Fighter IV raised hopes for the long-awaited Capcom VS SNK 3. hope. In your eyes, could this sequel see the light of day in the future? Do SNK’s dev teams dream about it as much as us gamers?
YO: There is always a possibility in this industry. We are very good friends with the developers of Street Fighter V and VII. I think everyone wants it to happen, and the fans really want it too. It is a project that we constantly keep in mind.
【EVO2022 SNK x Capcom】
After more than a decade, SNK and Capcom are back for two collaborative posters from the legendary illustrators Eisuke Ogura and Shinkiro!Come get yours at the SNK Booth!#KOF15#KOFXV#Evo2022pic.twitter.com/s1xTpz2Awg
— SNK GLOBAL (@SNKPofficial) August 5, 2022
At the beginning of the year, the MiSK foundation of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman took full control of SNK by holding more than 96% of its capital. How have SNK employees experienced this acquisition and what impact has it had on the company and the means at their disposal?
YO: No comment! (Editor’s note: Another time, another interlocutor: since Mr. Oda has given more details, in particular to VGC, stressing that the entry of the Sovereign Fund into the capital of SNK did not affect “in any way” *game development or creativity).