SNK CEO Kenji Matsubara has stepped down from his position and is transitioning to an advisory role, after the underwhelming performance of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Player Count. Despite a lot of marketing efforts, including high-profile collaborations and investments in esports, the game’s player engagement fell short of expectations.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves was expected to restore SNK’s classic fighting game franchise. The game introduced new mechanics and featured a unique art style. However, it struggled to maintain a strong player base, with the beta topping at around 9,280 concurrent players on PC, but numbers declined rapidly thereafter.
SNK invested heavily in marketing, including collaborations with globally recognized icons like Chun-Li and Ken Masters from Street Fighter, and even Cristiano Ronaldo, who was featured as a playable character. The company also announced a major e-sports tournament with a $1.5 million prize pool to boost interest. Despite these efforts, it still could not reach the expected player numbers.
The departure of SNK’s CEO shows the challenges the company faces in renewing its legacy franchises in a competitive gaming market. As SNK navigates this transition, the future of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and its place in the fighting game community remains uncertain.
The Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves player count has become the main point in discussions about the game’s performance. Despite the game’s innovations and marketing efforts, it failed to maintain player interest, leading to concerns about its longevity and impact on SNK’s reputation.
As SNK undergoes this leadership change, the company may need to reassess its strategies for engaging players and reviving its classic franchises. As for Fatal Fury brand, knowing it is a fighting game, making a comeback isn’t out of the question, albeit difficult. Perhaps the Capcom collaboration will what SNK needs to get players back into the game, along with some much needed balance changes.
