Rumor: SNK Playmore acquired by Chinese Company

[mehguy]

You used to be more optimistic

yes i know. I have no faith in them anymore. the fact that we cant get a single decent game out of SNK anymore is the sign of the times.

 

[celeritas]

yes i know. I have no faith in them anymore. the fact that we cant get a single decent game out of SNK anymore is the sign of the times.

Well optimistically, maybe SNK IPs will get licensed out to someone who can do some good with them. I'm not holding my breath, but, like it was suggested before, it does suggest that somebody thinks these IPs are worth something.

 

[Fakk2]

yes i know. I have no faith in them anymore. the fact that we cant get a single decent game out of SNK anymore is the sign of the times.

SNK literally committed suicide after they left the Neo-Geo system in the dust. The Atomiswave titles were a sign of that, no matter how "good" some people thought those were, and looking back at how half-assed KOF XII was, it's no wonder they are certainly dead now. They should have stuck it out with the Neo-Geo a few years longer, made the best games that they could until their time expired, and then went out with a bang instead of a whimper. But, it is what it is, which is why I still love the Neo-Geo and play those games for the best entertainment they provide, which was certainly SNK's best titles ever.

 

[Mr Bakaboy]

KOF XI and KOF XIII were pretty good games. KOF XIII was a good way to go out. Now the rest of the titles they came up with I can agree they were average at best.

 

[k'_127]

I liked NGBC and MS6 too.

 

[mathieu4d]

Looks like a chinese man bought this for close to nothing in regard to chinese inner market (60m$ ? come on).
They will prolly spam chinese market with cheap shit (smartphone?).

At best, it may wake some chinese boot-maker.
Expect some competition for french / spanish / italian convert-seller, chinese after all are quite good at doing fakes.
Well. "At best".

 

[Mr Bakaboy]

I liked NGBC and MS6 too.

I also liked them and Metal Slug XX, KOF '98UM, KOF '02UM, Samurai Shodown V, and SVC Chaos. however I'm a fan. Looking at it from a casual player standpoint I'd say KOF XI and KOF XIII made the most splash. If it wasn't for the damn netcode KOF XIII would have made an even bigger one.

 

[Electric Grave]

SNK literally committed suicide after they left the Neo-Geo system in the dust. The Atomiswave titles were a sign of that, no matter how "good" some people thought those were, and looking back at how half-assed KOF XII was, it's no wonder they are certainly dead now. They should have stuck it out with the Neo-Geo a few years longer, made the best games that they could until their time expired, and then went out with a bang instead of a whimper. But, it is what it is, which is why I still love the Neo-Geo and play those games for the best entertainment they provide, which was certainly SNK's best titles ever.

I agree but I also disagree. Staying with the Neo would have been a great move, if piracy was the problem then work it like NG Dev. I think the later games on the AW were great, I have no complaints at all except for Samsho VI being so watered down on the blood and atmosphere but other than that all the AW games were awesome. KOF XII could have been amazing, all the game needed was Geese or Rugal as the boss, better AI, better netcode and voila, perfect KOF, to me KOFXII is better than XIII in many ways, XIII just feels like giving up on innovation in order to get away easy but I love XIII still, my main problem are the watered down graphics and lack of Zoom action like XII was. Graphically XII was incredible, a sight to behold, had they stayed with this engine for future games it would have been a great thing but it is what it is. I know I'm alone on liking KOFXII, play it with a buddy and try to learn the system and just watch how awesome the game is, it takes a whole new meaning. I won't deny the shortcomings of the game though, it really saddens me 'cause the game could have been so much more.

 

[mehguy]

Well optimistically, maybe SNK IPs will get licensed out to someone who can do some good with them. I'm not holding my breath, but, like it was suggested before, it does suggest that somebody thinks these IPs are worth something.

I think staying with the neo for a couple of more years would have been a better choice for them, but cmon man, its decades old hardware. people have to move on and embrace newer tech.

 

[Electric Grave]

You don't need new hardware to make good games. I know I said this before but NGDev managed to make Gunlord Piracy proof (for now) and it looks and plays amazing. Whomever ends up with this has so much potential, look at all the fucks willing to spend money on homebrew carts for 700 euros, jesus fuck, someone could grab this and start popping new shit on the old system piracy proof and bam, neo renaissance, of course I'm just daydreaming. Fuck new tech, I love it but it's not needed for this. Megaman 9 is a testament to this.

 

[Fygee]

I genuinely feel that they squeezed all of the juice out of Neo that they could by the time they finally ditched it in 2005. Sticking with it longer would have been a mistake. Frankly, moving on to better hardware was overdue.

Their efforts with KOF XI, Metal Slug 6, NGBC, and KOF MI 1/2/RA were also quality titles and good choices that gained them some recognition and financial success.

KOF XII was a tremendous mistake that really sank their ship. They lost a lot of goodwill from casual SNK players and those that weren't familiar with KOF, and while most of it was recovered with KOF XIII, the damage was done.

Failing to release anything on consoles after KOF XIII that was new and exciting caused them to fade away into deeper obscurity. Now, to most folks, they're the "Metal Slug Defense" maker.

The company is salvageable, but they need to release some rock solid titles on consoles to even have any chance, short of hoping to repeat the success of MSD on mobile which I don't believe will happen.

 

[Electric Grave]

I've never played MS Defense, to me it looks like one of them shit plants vs zombies bullshit games.

 

[Fygee]

Its in the same ballpark, but its a lot of fun. The game is free, so its worth a try to see if its something you'll like. For what it is, its very well done.

 

[Yagyu Jubei]

The SNK I knew and loved died in 2004 with the final official homecart release (SSVS). SNK's corpse is just shuffled around from corporation to corporation now. KOF, Metal Slug and SamSho are merely licenses to be slapped on any type of merch or profitable gaming platform of the day. That means more lame mobile games and pachislots.

 

[Mr Bakaboy]

You know the SNK is dead crap is starting to get old. We live in a day and age where you either need to spend millions of dollars on one game, or become an independant game company making something close to PSX graphics. Playmore is neither and it's a miracle they stayed on long enough to make what they have with what they got. A lot of japanese game companies are on life support or dead right now for good reason. The games are way too expensive to make anymore.

Playmore being sold to a chinese company who wants to use the properties is a good thing more then likely. If someone spends 65 million dollars on a company the idea would be they need to recoup the money on more then pachislot games right? More then likely we will see games again. How well remains to be seen though general rule of thumb you need some quality crap to make people give a fuck about your product. Either by media or your product being something people will buy. It doesn't make sense for a company to churn out crap if they want to make a profit on something that is in the shitter in the 1st place.

 

[fernandeath]

You know the SNK is dead crap is starting to get old.

but it is true.
young people associate SNK to Shingeki no Kyojin

 

[Sherlin]

If they were up for sale, I'm wondering why CAPCOM didn't buy them. But hell, I've heard even they are up for sale themselves

 

[mehguy]

but it is true.
young people associate SNK to Shingeki no Kyojin

Fernan, i know u wanted a new last blade game, but what makes you think SNK is gonna make a new one if they havent even made a single kof or metal slug in years. KOF and metal slug is much more profitable than the Last blade.

 

[Mr Bakaboy]

Capcom didn't buy them because they are probably still in trouble financial wise. It was less then a year ago I think when they took the safeguards off to prevent themselves from being taken over.

Playmore was supposedly making a KOF game. From what it looks like they scrapped it and started a new. Most likely to be with the current generation but that is speculation.

If a company bought them out there is a chance that any IP might be remade eventually or at least re released. Why not Last Blade?

 

[fernandeath]

Fernan, i know u wanted a new last blade game, but what makes you think SNK is gonna make a new one if they havent even made a single kof or metal slug in years. KOF and metal slug is much more profitable than the Last blade.

I guess I enjoy living with these fantasies...

 

[k'_127]

I don't think Capcom would ever buy SNK. They already have more than enough fighting game franchises.

 

[k'_127]

Capcom didn't buy them because they are probably still in trouble financial wise. It was less then a year ago I think when they took the safeguards off to prevent themselves from being taken over.

Playmore was supposedly making a KOF game. From what it looks like they scrapped it and started a new. Most likely to be with the current generation but that is speculation.

They changed CEO's after KOFXIII. The leading team mentioned plans of 2D SS and Metal Slug games, and showed interest in making a Fatal Fury reboot in different interviews. The current CEO ended up firing the entire team eventually lol. I remember reading the CEO used to head Bandai when it was an anime-focused company.

 

[k'_127]

Capcom didn't buy them because they are probably still in trouble financial wise. It was less then a year ago I think when they took the safeguards off to prevent themselves from being taken over.

Playmore was supposedly making a KOF game. From what it looks like they scrapped it and started a new. Most likely to be with the current generation but that is speculation.

They changed CEO's after KOFXIII. The leading team mentioned plans of 2D SS and Metal Slug games, and showed interest in making a Fatal Fury reboot in different interviews. The current CEO ended up firing the entire team eventually lol. I remember reading the CEO used to head Bandai when it was an anime-focused company.

 

[Liquid Snake]

SNK has more IPs but why they only focus on KOF and MS series?

 

[fernandeath]

SNK has more IPs but why they only focus on KOF and MS series?

that's the million dollar question