Can somebody comment on this?

HAOHMARU

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Sep 24, 2000
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Originally heard on http://fighters.net.

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(from GameSpot News/EGM)

SNK's Future Plans


"The president of SNK talks about the future of the company.

As you know, SNK is now a subsidiary of Aruze. SNK is known for its NeoGeo console and several fighting games such as Fatal Fury, Samurai Showdown, and The King of Fighters. However, since the company was acquired by Aruze, there have been questions about the company's role in the console industry. You have heard several facts- such as Capcom's buyout of the company's game rights or former staff members establishing new companies - over the past few months, but today we bring you a clearer , more up-to-date picture of SNK's future. This is from the president of SNK subsiderary, who is vice-president of Aruze of Japan,Kazunari Kitano:

"SNK is about to see great changes, and we're currently in the midst of working toward these changes. Under the Aruze group, our development staff will be working with the parent company [Aruze] to develop pachinko games only," Kazunari Kitano, president of SNK, said recently. According to Kitano, among the 500 staff members, approximately 200 have moved on to develop pachinko and related games, and 20 to 30 remain under the video game development umbrella, primarily focusing on developing pachinko simulation games for the NeoGeo Pocket. The remaining members have moved to Aruze, and about half of them are in the Osaka development division of the company, working on pachinko games for home consoles except Dreamcast.

As for SNK's hardware and software, the NeoGeo console may continue to thrive as long as third parties will release games for it (for Aruze/SNK will no longer develop or produce any games for it), and the NeoGeo Pocket will now be available as prizes in pachinko games. Although no new console games have been announced, GameSpot has learned that Aruze will publish (but NOT develop) new fighting games in the future.

The King of Fighters 2000 for the NeoGeo and Last Blade 2 Final Edition for the Dreamcast will be SNK's last games as a publisher and developer. Both are scheduled for a December release in Japan. There will be no Dreamcast version of King of Fighters 2000, and in the future, all Aruze home games will be Playstation 2 Japanese releases. No games will be made or released in US homes and arcades.

As for the future,SNK says that "Our days as a fighting game developer are over. We have a few things left up our sleeves for fighting fans, but in 2001, our business strategy will be pachinko only.The King of Fighters 2001 will be our true last game. Since our other fighting game franchises are now owned by another company (Capcom of Japan now owns Samurai Showdown, Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting), we have to proceed and develop other alternatives to fighting games."

-By Yukiyoshi Sato, GameSpot VG"

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Well, this puts down every rumor that I heard about Samruai Shodown 5, Metal Slug 4, Last Blade 3, and a new Fatal Fury.

Does anybody know if this is 100% accurate? I remeber hearing rumors about the 80 members leaving SNK for Capcom, and the Samurai Shodown & Fatal Fury liscenses being bought by Capcom but this is saying it is official.

Sorry for the long read, but can anybody confim or deny this for sure? Thanks...

[This message has been edited by HAOHMARU (edited October 08, 2000).]
 

Dreamh2o

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What I get from this is that ANK/Aruze may not develope the new Games in Fatal Fatal Fury, Sam Showdown, or AOF, there is a possibility of Capcoms developing them and SNK/Aruze's releasing them on the Home Cart format.... thats what I get from the whole thing.... Other companies may still make games. It doesnt shoot down the hopes that games will keep coming.
 

chimpmeister

Former Moderator
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Actually, I don't quite see it that way DreamH2o. Capcom may develop new games based on the SS, FF, or AOF games, for the DC, PS2, and/or Xbox systems, but neither Capcom NOR Aruze would "port" those games over to the Neo MVS or home cart systems. There just is not any market for it, even in the arcade (the hardware is too old).

That's what I get out of it, basically as HAOHMARU says, all those rumors about Samurai 5, Last Blade 3, Metal Slug 4, and Garou 2 for the Neo MVS or cart systems are bullshit, that none of those will come out. Which is really disappointing, but not unexpected, news. If in fact it is true, the Neo MVS and home cart systems are just about finished as far as new games go (still TONS of great games came out, I'm not complaining
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!).

But also, this makes me wonder about the rumors about the new MVS hardware? highervoltage.net had a blurb about the new arcade hardware, and there have been other rumors, but it all seems rather unlikely if the President of SNK really did make these comments.
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outsider

Benimaru's Hairdresser
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I do personally like Capcom. If this announcement does turn out to be true, we could see interesting things happening for some of our favorite franchises from the Neo. Who knows what capcom might bring into the mix with (hopefully) new games of the FF, SS and AoF series. Personally, I think an AoF sequel has been long overdue. As far as SNK's new direction, I don't seen how going into this huge pachinko directions will make them into any kind of bigshot company. Aruze has never convinced me in being anything positive for the Neo.

If capcom has bought the rights to those games, what about the other franchises left out there? Hmmm, it would be VERY interesting to see what's going on in one year from right now.

I guess till then the SNK soap opera continues...

(oh yeah, but in the meantime, we atleast have KoF2000 to play
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HAOHMARU

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Well, all of that news about SS5, LB3, MS4 ect. ect. was all from NeoGeoFreak.com. And to quote NGF about their news postings:

"We say it first.......just remember that and remember we have an accuracy rating of 100%."

They are also saying they are 100% accurate and at times 4 months in advance. So going by that (I'm not saying it is true) the are right and this proves the above article I posted wrong. I just don't get it...

Also, the new arcade board got confused with the "Super Giga Chip" at highervoltage. I think they posted an update about it that they made a mistake.

I guess we will just have to wait and see about it because only time will tell on this one.

I too like Capcom...great well rounded company. And they announced they are developing Capcom vs SNK 2
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I don't have the first one yet, but I am still happy they are going to make another one.
 

Dreamh2o

Sub-human sack of shit.
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Although no new console games have been announced, GameSpot has learned that Aruze will publish (but NOT develop) new fighting games in the future.

If this is the offical quote, then how am I wrong is assuming, that they mean that carts will be released... Maybe not capcom developed (wishfull thinking) but others for sure.

I should add, that this quote, is all unproven info from GameSpot, so its really still anyones guess...

[This message has been edited by Dreamh2o (edited October 09, 2000).]
 

lump505

Kabuki Klasher
Joined
Aug 18, 2000
Posts
123
Everything now is just speculation. I would just take a wait and see aproch. If new games are announced then buy them, if not then go cry under your covers or something.


Only time will tell......
 
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