SNK Talks Fatal Fury's Ken, Chun-Li DLC Hints, Capcom Rivalry at Evo 2025

The Fighting Game Community's New Obsession

Evo 2025 delivered one unforgettable moment after another with Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves proving to be the tournament's breakout star. From KojiKOG's viral reaction faces during his heartbreaker top 8 loss to the electrifying grand finals showdown between Go1 and ET, the latest Fatal Fury installment reminded everyone why we fell in love with fighting games in the first place.

Behind the Scenes with SNK's Dream Team

While we couldn't grab SNK developers at the event itself, Producer Yasuyuki Oda and Animator Masari Obari generously shared insights about Ken's explosive debut in City of the Wolves and other burning topics fighters fans have been dying to know.

Bringing Streets to South Town

Interviewer: Ken plays shockingly similar to his SF6 version despite the completely different engine. What went into adapting Capcom's poster boy for Fatal Fury's systems?

Yasuyuki Oda: Our toughest challenge was preserving Ken's soul while fitting him into our world. Many team members bleed Street Fighter - their passion fueled all those special touches veteran players will notice. We obsessed over questions like "What makes Ken Ken?" and "How can his flames ignite City of Wolves gameplay?" through countless prototype iterations.

Balancing Legacy and Innovation

Interviewer: Ken dominates SF6 with oppressive pressure and insane conversions. Were you worried these traits would break your game?

Oda: *laughs* Directly porting SF6 Ken would've broken our meta instantly! But that's exactly why we worked so carefully - implementing Braking and REV Accel systems transformed his toolkit while keeping that unmistakable Ken flavor. Now players get to rediscover him through fresh mechanics.

The CVS Dream Lives On

Interviewer: With Terry/Mai in SF6 and Ken/Chun-Li crossing over, any chance we'll see Capcom vs SNK make a comeback?

Oda: Wouldn't that be incredible? *smiles* These questions always energize us - they prove fans haven't forgotten CVS. Unfortunately, my lips are sealed regarding future projects...

The Guest Character Phenomenon

Interviewer: What's your take on fighters borrowing characters from other franchises?

Oda: When done respectfully, it creates magical possibilities no one expects! That said, City of Wolves needs to bring its core roster home first. After Mr. Big, we've got exciting original additions coming.

Sneak Peek: Chun-Li's Arrival

Interviewer: Can you tease anything about Chun-Li's upcoming debut?

Oda: We're blending her SF6 foundation with surprises honoring her legacy. Think of it as the ultimate Chun-Li tribute!

The Animator's Perspective

Masami Obari: Working on Ken felt surreal! My "Bari-Ken" style merges his essence with Fatal Fury's anime aesthetic. As for dream crossovers? I'd kill to animate legendary pro wrestlers!

The Ultimate Showdown

Interviewer: Final question - Terry vs Ken, who takes it?

Obari: Terry's fighting spirit gives him the edge...though I'd rather see them team up against Geese!