SNK CEO steps down after heavily-marketed Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves seemingly muted launch

Hideous Snake

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The company announced that Kenji Matsubara, who joined as CEO in August 2021, will "transition to an advisory role, where he will continue to lend his expertise and vision".

During his tenure as CEO, Mr. Matsubara has been instrumental in driving the company's growth and innovation. He transformed SNK by expanding its development division and strengthening its sales and marketing functions, building it into a global publisher capable of competing worldwide. As part of this transition, the board will appoint the Chairman of the board to assume the interim role of CEO. The board expresses its deepest gratitude to Mr. Matsubara for his dedication and leadership during a transformative period in the company's history. SNK Corporation remains committed to its strategic vision and is excited about the future as it enters this new phase of leadership.

 
Interesting so many people haven't heard about it.

We've had several threads, including the one about Cristiano Ronaldo being a part of the roster.

Truth is most people don't care about fighting games and that's OK. Publishers shouldn't expect to make a lot of money out of those games with obvious exceptions like MK or SF.
 
Oh wow, you mean a bunch of dumb shit the Saudi prince thought would be cool in Garou didn't resonate with people?
Yeah you can tell this had some serious outside influence with the addition of the real life characters. This has a heavy stench of Saudi Owners sticking their hand in the pot
 
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Interesting so many people haven't heard about it.

We've had several threads, including the one about Cristiano Ronaldo being a part of the roster.

Truth is most people don't care about fighting games and that's OK. Publishers shouldn't expect to make a lot of money out of those games with obvious exceptions like MK or SF.
Fighting games just became too much competitive and combo centric, you used to be able to pick the game and soon be playing and doing it all with all their characters, now you have to learn like a manual for each character and its fucking boring (for me)... Fighting games should be the ultimate casual fun game, but they arent anymore.

Nothing wrong with this btw... its just that it lost it's mainstream casual appeal for better or worse
 
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Fighting games just became too much competitive and combo centric, you used to be able to pick the game and soon be playing and doing it all with all their characters, now you have to learn like a manual for each character and its fucking boring (for me)... Fighting games should be the ultimate casual fun game, but they arent anymore.

Nothing wrong with this btw... its just that it lost it's mainstream casual appeal for better or worse
One of the reasons why I play Super Street Fighter, and 3rd strike with my kids. . Simple systems. easy rock paper scissor. They starting to get fancy and doing hadokens now. lol
 
Fighting games just became too much competitive and combo centric, you used to be able to pick the game and soon be playing and doing it all with all their characters, now you have to learn like a manual for each character and its fucking boring (for me)... Fighting games should be the ultimate casual fun game, but they arent anymore.

Nothing wrong with this btw... its just that it lost it's mainstream casual appeal for better or worse
As a long time member of the FGC I feel the opposite. Auto combo (easy mode) and things like that are common place now, it used to be different. For example, in the DBZ Fighterz or KoFXV you can press the light punch several times and get a combo that even includes a special move if you have at least a metter full.
 
Fighting games just became too much competitive and combo centric, you used to be able to pick the game and soon be playing and doing it all with all their characters, now you have to learn like a manual for each character and its fucking boring (for me)... Fighting games should be the ultimate casual fun game, but they arent anymore.

Nothing wrong with this btw... its just that it lost it's mainstream casual appeal for better or worse
This is where I'm at. I don't give a damn about learning Airstrike cancels and drive shift reversals or whatever clever names they come up with. Block, dodge, parry. That's it.

But I was also one that was interested the stories for fighting games. I barely play them anymore, and definitely don't want sports players in them.
 
As a long time member of the FGC I feel the opposite. Auto combo (easy mode) and things like that are common place now, it used to be different. For example, in the DBZ Fighterz or KoFXV you can press the light punch several times and get a combo that even includes a special move if you have at least a metter full.

This is the bumbest thing to ever be added to Fighting Games. Combos should be a plus in the game, not the whole game.
 
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It's a problem with fighting games in general. Everyone is so use to a half ass base game being released then multiple fighter packs released after that $70 for the base game seems really steep.
 
That's the problem with Saudi Arabia. They force you to follow in their tasteless caveman bullshit and blame you when it fails. May even go as far as murdering you at a restaurant and chopping you to bits.
 
Oh wow, you mean a bunch of dumb shit the Saudi prince thought would be cool in Garou didn't resonate with people?

You're insinuating that they put one celebrity character in a fighting game and that turned everybody off from buying it? (...Or even hearing about it.)
 
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The game was heavily advertised and lots of money was spent. People saying otherwise just tunnel vision.

They did wrestling events IRL, fighting game events, early play tests, bringing in the two guest characters,using large influencers like ishowspeed, and a lot more.

The issue is this was poor use of marketing dollars. Furthermore, it's a SNK fighter - they will never sell Capcom level or Wild like a WB fighter like Mortal Kombat.

These games are niche for fighting game fans only like folks who play melty blood.
 
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You're insinuating that they put one celebrity character in a fighting game and that turned everybody off from buying it? (...Or even hearing about it.)

No, but I am saying that they spent a shitload of money on the guest characters and the related promotions, and it didn't pay off.
 
Fighting games just became too much competitive and combo centric, you used to be able to pick the game and soon be playing and doing it all with all their characters, now you have to learn like a manual for each character and its fucking boring (for me)... Fighting games should be the ultimate casual fun game, but they arent anymore.

Nothing wrong with this btw... its just that it lost it's mainstream casual appeal for better or worse
This is where I'm at. I don't give a damn about learning Airstrike cancels and drive shift reversals or whatever clever names they come up with. Block, dodge, parry. That's it.

But I was also one that was interested the stories for fighting games. I barely play them anymore, and definitely don't want sports players in them.
One of the reasons why I play Super Street Fighter, and 3rd strike with my kids. . Simple systems. easy rock paper scissor. They starting to get fancy and doing hadokens now. lol
These takes feel…oddly out of date. Nearly everything you guys are complaining about fits more with fighting games from last gen (PS4/XBO).

This gen nearly all fighting game franchises have been bringing back fun modes/side content, more fleshed out story modes, and casual friendly features (especially with controls).
 
These takes feel…oddly out of date. Nearly everything you guys are complaining about fits more with fighting games from last gen (PS4/XBO).

This gen nearly all fighting game franchises have been bringing back fun modes/side content, more fleshed out story modes, and casual friendly features (especially with controls).
Well maybe it is, because I didnt purchase any fighting game this gen.... I finally gave up on them but the infos, trailers and reviews I saw of the games that would interest me didn't suggested any meaningful change. Just more of the same things Im not interested.
 
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I know people like to blame the Ronaldo inclusion but how many of you really didn't buy it just because of that?

Fighting games have become a niche and snk just seems like a niche inside a niche.

What are the other apparent influences Saudi had on it ?
 
Let's be honest, fighting games aren't BIG hitters. It's not the arcade days anymore. This game has been heavily marketed in sports media and no one gives a shit. And the inclusion of shite guest characters doesn't help.
 
I've seen the threads here and knew about Ronaldo but never actually seen the game running. I just clicked on that video above and it's people dancing, no game footage even on that screen they're all stood by. Just clicked on that review thread, just handful of people and a Ronaldo gif.

Maybe a Switch 2 version can help?

Just watched some gameplay videos and it doesn't appeal and there seems to be very limited user content. Weird game and launch that misses the mark.
 
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I know people like to blame the Ronaldo inclusion but how many of you really didn't buy it just because of that?

Fighting games have become a niche and snk just seems like a niche inside a niche.

What are the other apparent influences Saudi had on it ?
I'd buy if it they released any copies in stores. Really regret not preordering it.

Tried getting it at launch but how many did they have? Just one.
 
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These takes feel…oddly out of date. Nearly everything you guys are complaining about fits more with fighting games from last gen (PS4/XBO).

This gen nearly all fighting game franchises have been bringing back fun modes/side content, more fleshed out story modes, and casual friendly features (especially with controls).
yea... im 40. I kind of dont have the time to fully invest and practice rush downs new systems due to work and other obligations. When I want to play online and not against my kids, you have to implement the new systems in your gameplay or your behind. You cant just win with mind games and jump in HP, cr. Hp Hadoken, shiku hadoken. I do enjoy the story mode. The world tour is really fun, and to the games defense they do try to teach you how to implement the systems in your game.
 
I just can't stomach 2D fighting games anymore. They felt primitive and inferior 26 years ago when Virtua Fighter 1 and Soul Calibur 1 came out. I'll never understand why people find any value in it. Fighting on 1 dimensional plane is extremely basic and does very little to simulate the thrill of combat. It was fine for Street Fighter in the 80s. The fighting game community is one of the most bizarre audience regressions in gaming.
 
The game's flaw is its limited cast.

In addition to special guests, who no one cares about and aren't in keeping with the Fatal Fury universe.
 
Never liked Mark of the Wolves as a Fatal Fury installment despite the pretty sprites and animations that wowed posers. I like the sequel even less. Now if it had been a Real Bout 3 or KoF XVI...
Futurama Buy GIF
 
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This game looked cool and like most people I really liked Garou on Dreamcast but man it's hard to get up for a new fighting game. The mechanics of these games are so in-depth and complicated and then you are hitching a ride to the content trail. It's like the whole thing I keep talking about with live service games.

I just can't stomach 2D fighting games anymore. They felt primitive and inferior 26 years ago when Virtua Fighter 1 and Soul Calibur 1 came out. I'll never understand why people find any value in it. Fighting on 1 dimensional plane is extremely basic and does very little to simulate the thrill of combat. It was fine for Street Fighter in the 80s. The fighting game community is one of the most bizarre audience regressions in gaming.
Street Fighter 2 came out in 1991. Only 2 years before Virtua Fighter.

but yes the FGC is a weird bunch
 
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This game looked cool and like most people I really liked Garou on Dreamcast but man it's hard to get up for a new fighting game. The mechanics of these games are so in-depth and complicated and then you are hitching a ride to the content trail. It's like the whole thing I keep talking about with live service games.


Street Fighter 2 came out in 1991. Only 2 years before Virtua Fighter.

but yes the FGC is a weird bunch
That is fascinating. SF2 is so much older in my mind. Man, Virtua Fighter was truly cutting edge.
 
it's obviously a click bait article ! the reason for stepping down is not mentioned and there's no official sales number as of now ! they just want a reason to bash the saudi owner
 
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