During Evo 2022, SNK made an unexpected announcement about the return of the fighting game franchise Fatal Fury. This will likely be the most unexpected announcement that was made as the series hasn’t been revised in 20 years. The company’s first fighting game, which debuted in 1991 as a NeoGeo title and later served as the inspiration for the actual King of Fighters game series, was also responsible for the creation of the fictitious King of Fighters tournament. The franchise produced a number of games throughout the 1990s, but due to complications, Garou: Mark of the Wolves was the last game we ever saw from the series.
Only a brief teaser trailer and a piece of artwork were included with the announcement; no release date or platform name were provided. The teaser trailer ends with the reveal of Rock Howard, the protagonist of Mark of the Wolves, so it does seem to be a sequel to that game. However, SNK is only referring to the game as New Fatal Fury/Garou at this time.
Three mysterious hints about the game’s plot are provided in the brief teaser trailer: The City of Legend Still Breathes, Hungry Wolves Back on the Prowl, and A New Destiny Hidden In Darkness. Two silhouettes were visible in the trailer’s background in addition to Rock’s reveal. Billy Kane, a recurring figure in the series, and Kain R. Heinlein, the game’s boss in Garou: Mark of the Wolves, are thought to be these two characters.
Despite the series’ long hiatus, many of its characters have continued to appear in SNK’s King of Fighters series, which combines figures from Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, and other franchises. The KOF series is known for its recurring characters, including Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, and Joe Higashi. As DLC, Rock Howard, Geese Howard, and other new characters have been added to KOF XV.
