SNK chief executive officer Kenji Matsubara has stepped down from his post and now plays an advisory role following the release of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, which had been heavily marketed over the past few months.
While there are no official sales numbers, there’s plenty to suggest the game hasn’t performed as SNK had hoped. For comparison, Street Fighter 6’s peak PC Steam numbers sit at about 32,000 players – even after two years online. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves peaked at just 4,674 players.
It’s a shame, as the game’s quality is not in question. The issue lies more with its target audience and marketing tactics. While it’s impressive to see the legacy title featured on WWE’s Wrestlemania, a number of pay-per-view boxing matches, and supported by SNK’s Saudi Arabian owners, the game ultimately appeals to a niche: Hardcore SNK fans.
These loyalists stuck around through SNK’s tough times – bankruptcy and its merger with Playmore in the 2000s – but they don’t necessarily align with what the wider market wants. Meanwhile, the general public may not even know what Fatal Fury is, unless it’s a popular genre like battle royale or a military shooter.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves may be great, but it's still a niche fighting game – and no amount of mass promotion will change that reality.
Short beats
Indonesian developer Digital Happiness Games and Singapore-based publisher Soft Source have announced Dreadout 3, the next entry in the survival horror franchise. You play Linda, using your camera and phone to detect evil spirits.
Malaysian esports group Flash Vision has announced its upcoming fighting game tournament series, FV Major 2025, featuring titles such as Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, The King of Fighters XV, and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.
The source code for Arc System Works’ flagship fighting game Guilty Gear Strive has been leaked illegally to the public during EVO Japan 2025. A recent build points to a Season 5 character pass in development.
The Stardew Valley Festival of Seasons concert will stop in Malaysia on Sept 6. Tickets are available now.
Chinese publisher Elementa and developer Silver Studio have announced Silver Palace, an action RPG set in a Victorian steampunk fantasy world. No release date yet, but pre-registration is open.
Team Ninja and Xbox have revealed new gameplay for Ninja Gaiden 4, featuring Ryu Hayabusa and a new Raven clan ninja, Yakumo.
Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix are teaming up to release a Magic: The Gathering set based on the Final Fantasy series. A number of cards have been previewed.
Op-Eds
We examine the many references and cameos in the newly released digital version of A Minecraft Movie, based on the hit game by Mojang.
Here are eight games that prove mobile gaming is still alive and kicking in 2025.
Games out this week
Doom: The Dark Ages is the latest first-person shooter from Bethesda and id Software, with the Doom Slayer tearing through hordes of monsters in a medieval setting.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 brings together eight classic Capcom titles, remastered for 2025 with online play: Capcom vs SNK 1 and 2, Street Fighter Alpha 3 UPPER, Power Stone 1 and 2, Project Justice, Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein, and Capcom Fighting Evolution.
Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade is a new isometric roguelite action game where you play as ninjas and samurais slashing through demons in anime-style feudal Japan.
Recommended viewing
Sega has released a behind-the-scenes video featuring Lizardcube, the team behind the upcoming action game Shinobi: Art of Vengeance.
