Two years ago, SNK finally revealed the King of Fighters XV at Evo 2019. Following the return of Samurai Shodown in the same year, competitors and SNK fans eagerly awaited the next KOF installment. After nearly a year of waiting, SNK began sharing more news about the new project in early 2021.
KOF XV delayed to 2022. Source: SNK
Like many game studios, the COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected SNK’s development timeline. The studio announced on June 2, 2021 that the game is now slated for a 2022 release. KOF XV was revealed on the same day as ArcSystemWorks’ Guilty Gear Strive, but the new release window means that SNK can worry less about competing for consumer interest next year. While the King of Fighters XV may miss events such as CEO 2021, the additional development time will allow for SNK to work on listening to community feedback such as the call for rollback netcode.
As fighting games have competed for player interest over the past year, netcode has become a much more criticized feature. Rollback netcode became crucial as games like Guilty Gear Strive and Mortal Kombat 11 received praise for their smooth online play. Producer Yasuyuki Oda announced on Twitter that SNK was working on rollback netcode for KOF XV, following the positive reception to the King of Fighters 2002’s recent rollback update.
This news came as a shock to many, as the lack of communication was a troubling sign for the game. With proper rollback netcode, competitors have been able to practice and learn from players around the world. KOF is especially known for its global presence within the fighting game community. With better online play, the game’s competitors may have a chance to practice like never before.
Vanessa announced for KOF XV. Source: SNK
Each week, SNK has revealed another character for KOF XV’s roster. So far, the choices have been fairly safe picks of returning characters from previous titles. The most recent announcement on June 23 was the return of Vanessa, a popular boxer who last appeared as DLC for the King of Fighters XIV. She joins a cast of familiar faces like Terry, Mai, Iori and more.
As of June, KOF XV’s roster currently features no newcomers to the series. However, many fans are excited for the long-awaited return of characters such as Shermie and Chizuru. With more development time, SNK will be able to work on another large roster for KOF, following the staggering 50-character roster of KOF XIV at launch.
M’ won KOF XIV at Evo Japan 2019. Source: evo2kvids
The King of Fighters’ return will mark a new era for the franchise at tournaments. With SNK’s recent support of esports events around the globe in KOF XIV and Samurai Shodown, there is no doubt that the studio will heavily support the competitive scene surrounding KOF XV. The King of Fighters XIV’s appearance at Evolution 2017 featured arguably one of the most exciting grand finals in Evo history, and later tournaments at Evo Japan kept the competitive flame burning for KOF players.
Despite the news of a delay, fighting game fans continue to prepare for the classic arcade franchise’s grand return. With proper rollback netcode and a rapidly growing fighting game community always looking for new games to play, the King of Fighters XV will surely have a spot at numerous tournaments in the future.
Featured image courtesy of SNK Global
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