SNK CEO Kenji Matsubara Steps Down Amid Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves’ Underperformance

In a significant leadership change, SNK Corporation has announced that CEO Kenji Matsubara will step down from his position and transition into an advisory role. This move comes shortly after the release of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, a title that, despite a substantial marketing campaign, has struggled to meet commercial expectations.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves was positioned as a major revival of the classic fighting game series, with a marketing push that included high-profile promotions such as featuring football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo as a playable character and sponsorships of major events like WWE WrestleMania. The game also received attention for its inclusion of EDM DJ Salvatore Ganacci, who performed at promotional events in character.

Despite these efforts, the game has seen underwhelming sales figures. In Japan, it sold only 6,302 copies on PlayStation 5 within its first two weeks, placing it behind several other titles released during the same period. On Steam, the game’s all-time peak concurrent player count reached just 4,592, with recent numbers hovering around 1,200.

While SNK has not officially linked Matsubara’s departure to the game’s performance, the timing has led to speculation within the industry. Under Matsubara’s leadership, SNK expanded its development division and strengthened its global presence. The company’s board expressed gratitude for his contributions during a transformative period.

As SNK navigates this leadership transition, the company faces the challenge of reassessing its strategies in a competitive fighting game market dominated by titles like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8. The future direction of SNK will be closely watched by industry observers and fans alike.