In a recent one-on-one interview with SNK veteran Yasuyuki Oda at PGDX 2024, he offered insights into the fighting game industry’s evolution and the highly anticipated return of the Fatal Fury franchise. With over three decades of experience in the genre, Oda’s perspective spans from the golden age of arcade fighters to today’s global competitive scene.

Fighting Game Resurgence

Yasuyuki Oda provided a candid assessment of the fighting game genre’s trajectory over the past few decades, highlighting a significant resurgence after a period of decline.

Oda highlighted the resurgence of fighting games in the past decade, crediting Street Fighter 4 and the growth of online play for revitalizing the genre. He noted, “From about 2000 to 2010, it felt like there was an era where there was a drop in users, but thanks to Street Fighter 4 coming in, and online matches, and the FGC getting a lot bigger, it feels like it recovered from that, it was rebirthed in that sense, from the ashes.”

The industry veteran also emphasized the global nature of today’s fighting game community: “Now it feels like it’s more global than it was before, and really, each region has their own individual community, and they’re all tied together in this global landscape. That’s probably the difference between the 90s and the current era.”

Looking to the future, Oda expressed optimism about the potential growth of fighting games in Southeast Asia and other markets:

“With fighting games, there are so many different characters that we think that anybody can find one that they connect with or want to use in the game. So it definitely hopes that people can find one that they really like, and we’ll keep working to make sure there are characters that people are interested in.”

He added, “So for fighting games, it’s a genre that you can just look at and then immediately understand. So I really hope, it’s such a great genre that everyone will try a fighting game at least once in their lives. I really definitely recommend that people check them out because they’re just so great.”

When asked about launching a game on multiple platforms from day one, Oda said he has two different perspectives on the issue: as a producer and as a developer. From a producer’s standpoint, he views cross-play technology as a valuable tool that should be used to make the game accessible on as many platforms as possible, reaching a wider audience. However, from a developer’s perspective, he acknowledges the significant challenges involved in creating a game that supports cross-platform play across various systems.

Return to SNK and Mastering Pixel Art

Oda reflected on the changes within SNK since his return to the company: “Back in the original days at the company, everyone was really young. The development team were all in their 20s, so they could just work all the time. Everybody had a lot of energy, but now people are getting a little bit older. When I came back to the company, a lot of those people were in their 40s, but they’re older now. They’re at a much older stage in their life, so it’s quite different in regards to that vibe.”

Oda’s return to SNK happened during a significant shift in the company’s development focus. Prior to his arrival, SNK lacked a dedicated console development team. Upon rejoining to work on King of Fighters XIV there was an initiative to build console development capabilities. This involved recruiting experienced console developers and expanding the development team, marking a crucial turning point for the company.

“All at once, there were a lot more people, and then the specification, the specs of the technology and the computers that they were using started increasing,” he recalled. This sudden shift created momentum and change within the company, dramatically altering the working environment and setting the stage for SNK’s resurgence in the modern gaming landscape.

One of SNK’s most celebrated attributes is its pixel art, which has continued to captivate fans for decades. Oda highlighted this mastery by explaining that all of SNK’s games were developed for the Neo Geo system, using the same hardware throughout. This consistent use of technology allowed them to become true experts in their field.

“All the titles were made for the Neo Geo, and every single title was always using that same hardware, so they really became masters at their craft, and that’s probably part of it. They really knew the insides and outs of the technology that they were using, because they just kept using it the entire time,” said Oda.

Challenges in Differentiating Fighting Game IPs

Maintaining distinct identities for multiple fighting game franchises can be a significant challenge, as Oda acknowledged. With SNK’s diverse portfolio of fighting games, including Fatal Fury, King of Fighters, and Samurai Shodown, he emphasized the difficulty in ensuring each series retains its unique flavor and nuances

Even when franchises share similar environments, as with Fatal Fury and King of Fighters, Oda pointed out other distinguishing factors: “They’re very different in that Fatal Fury is a 1-on-1 game and King of Fighters is a 3-on-3 game.” 

Despite these tactics, Oda admitted that the task remains complex: “When there’s so many different games, they’re all fighting games, that can be a challenge to make sure they all have their own unique style.” This ongoing effort to create distinct experiences within the fighting game genre showcases SNK’s commitment to innovation and diversity.

Fatal Fury’s Return

The interview’s most exciting revelation was the discussion of the long-awaited return of the Fatal Fury series with the upcoming “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.” 

Oda expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating: “I think it’s a miracle that we’re able to make a new Fatal Fury. It’s 26 years after the last title, so that in and of itself is great. That’s a really big miracle for us. We’ll also be making some really big surprising announcements coming up until the launch of the game in early 2025, so definitely look forward to those, and they’ll be pretty big.”

Oda mentioned that he wanted to develop Fatal Fury earlier, but at that time, the team was too small. Instead, they focused on creating Samurai Shodown and King of Fighters. Now, with a larger team and the right technology, they are finally in a position to properly develop a new Fatal Fury. The decision to proceed with Fatal Fury was influenced by the success of King of Fighters XIV and XV, as well as Samurai Shodown 2019. 

“Now we are finally at a point where the team is big enough and we have the technology and everything to be able to make a new Fatal Fury properly,” said Oda.

Closing Message

Oda closed the interview with a message saying that they have “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” coming up and he hopes everyone will play it. He also mentioned the recent release of “SVC Chaos” and expressed a strong desire for players to check it out. With many other exciting titles on the horizon, which they’ve been discussing and announcing, Oda is eager for fans to experience all of them. He concluded by expressing excitement about the future and anticipation for the continued release of great content from SNK.

As SNK prepares to launch “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” in early 2025, fighting game enthusiasts around the world eagerly await the return of this iconic franchise under Oda’s experienced guidance.