Fatal Fury is back and already betting on esports.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a brand-new fighting game, the first in the legendary series for 26 years, that is due to launch in late April. So far, it looks like a competent fighting game, and one that should prove to be pretty popular among genre fans when it launches. But, despite not being out for months, a massive tournament has been announced for the game at the Esports World Cup, which is not something you see particularly often.
For years, publishers have mostly kept quiet about competitive ambitions for new titles until it has launched. After a handful of spectacular failures in the mid 2010s, even the biggest publishers in the world tend to brush off any pre-release questions about competition with answers that usually mention how the community will decide if it should be an esport. Even Valorant, arguably the biggest competitive game launch of the last five years, effectively followed this path prior to launch.
But SNK, the publisher behind Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, is already confident about the game’s competitive potential and is leaning into it as it heads towards launch.
“Since March 2024, we’ve been hosting hands-on demo events for media and players worldwide, and the feedback has been extremely positive,” said Yasuyuki Oda, chief producer on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. “We’ve also been making continuous updates based on player input. Additionally, an open beta test will be held starting on February 20. As we approach the release, we’re confident that the game will meet expectations, so there’s no doubt in our minds about its quality.”
This confidence has led the publisher to sign a multi-year agreement with the Esports World Cup that will see Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, along with other SNK titles, featured at the event. There’s no specific details on how the tournament will run, what prizes are on the line or who will be eligible to compete, but given players will only have a matter of weeks to practise with the final release, it’s going to be one of the more interesting tournaments at the event for a variety of reasons. Not least because top esports teams will be looking to sign the best players to help them in the Club Championship, with only weeks to scout them.
“There is more to what makes a game a good esports title in the EWC than just active players,” said Fabian Scheuermann, chief games officer at the Esports World Cup Foundation. “We’re working closely with clubs and the publisher to make sure there are ample opportunities for the community to develop around their esports and events. With the support and interest from our partners, the clubs and the publisher, we think we’ll be able to build a story and product fans will be thrilled to see.”
Despite the confidence both parties have around the partnership, there is no doubt that this is a risk. With just weeks between release and the competition, there will be a lot of unknowns, from both the game and how it translates to a spectator sport, to the players and how teams will manage who they have on their roster. But, there’s little doubt that it will be entertaining, especially with hype around the game still likely to be high following the release given how it is shaping up already.
“Of course, we’ve developed this game not only for top players but also for casual players to enjoy,” said Oda. “The familiar 1v1 basic style, along with the unique system that offers both speed and strategy, will be a major draw for fighting game fans. Also, with our partnership with EWC and other initiatives, SNK is strengthening its focus on esports alongside other titles such as THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV. We’re aiming to provide many players with opportunities to participate in esports for this game, and we believe that esports will be one of its most exciting features.”
It’s actually refreshing for a publisher and major tournament organiser to set their stall out so early when it comes to a new release of a competitive game, and a successful first tournament in Riyadh this summer could change how other publishers engage with the esports community pre-release.
While the current strategy of keeping relatively quiet obviously works, it can get very frustrating for fans who want to know what a competitive scene will look like for an upcoming game. This strategy from SNK and EWC instantly answers that question, and let’s top players know that there will be some kind of competitive circuit for this franchise for years to come, which is a lot more stability than most new games can offer. That, is no doubt a good thing for everyone involved, and will hopefully set a new precedent going forward.