IRVINE, Calif. - April 12, 2016 - The legendary fighters in the upcoming
THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV will be making their stateside debut thanks to a partnership between SNK PLAYMORE and Atlus U.S.A. The vaunted fighting game series, which first made its debut 1994, is entering a new evolution with THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV thanks to series-first 3D graphics and debuting exclusively on the PlayStation 4 console. THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV will arrive to consoles later in 2016.

THE KING OF FIGHTERS legacy will be unchanged in KOF XIV; the traditional 3 vs. 3 battle system is still there, with an expansive roster of 50 characters, all of whom are available in-game at launch. But the evolutionary changes in the game start with the creation of all the game's assets with 3D graphics. There's been some meticulous refinement to the game's fighting engine to be more streamlined and approachable for newcomers. There are also notable improvements made to the "Combo" and "MAX Mode" game mechanics, and the "RUSH" feature, which adds simplified combo inputs for novices. Brand new in THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV is the innovative "Party Battle" feature which pits two teams of three human players each against each other in a cooperative team fight in online play. There's also a new online training mode that will connect beginners and experienced players for tutoring on how to play together.

THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV Feature Details:

• 3D Evolution: All 50 fighters, movesets and more are rendered in full 3D graphics that preserves the essence of KOF's visual style but updates it with a whole new dimension.

• The Best Refinement since KOF '98: Through extensive playtesting and balancing, the controls have been streamlined, and the Combo and Max Mode mechanics have been overhauled to create the most competitive fighter in SNK's history.

• The KOF Saga Continues: There's a robust single-player storyline where several years have passed since the previous KOF tournament. Now a worldwide business, the global KOF will decide who is the strongest as both individuals and companies with their own ambitions have come to compete. Players compete against CPU-controlled opponents to unlock the storyline.

• The Best Roster Yet: There are 50 fighters total, with 31 returning from previous entries into the KOF series, and 19 brand new characters. All 50 characters will be available at the game's launch.

• Revamped Online Experience: THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV has devoted a lot of development time to improving the game's netcode for vastly improved online gameplay. KOF XIV uses the PS4's online architecture to have a whole host of online conveniences, from spectating to saving replay/battle data, and having a single online KOF XIV profile to connect with friends.