If you are a fan of VS Fighting, you likely spent your weekend during the open beta of Fatal Fury’s City of the Wolves, which was held from Thursday, February 20th, at 9 AM to Monday, February 24th, at 8:59 AM. These four full days allowed us to test 8 out of the 17 announced characters in the roster, with three more fighters yet to be revealed. For SNK, it was an opportunity to conduct large-scale testing of their online experience, aiming to address crucial aspects before its release on April 24th. The Japanese publisher even provided a feedback form online. So far, so good. However, SNK became the victim of a complete game leak during this open beta period. After downloading the demo, some individuals were able to access the PC source code and unfortunately discovered everything—every character coming, DLC characters, hidden bosses, even those arriving in 2026, along with previously concealed gameplay mechanics, all documented with images and videos. It is unfortunate for SNK, but what has happened is indeed extraordinary.
SO THIS BETA THEN?
Before detailing these unexpected leaks surrounding Fatal Fury City of the Wolves, let’s summarize this beta that helped identify issues. The first concern was the matchmaking and room search, which were far from optimal, to the point that Yasuyuki Oda, the producer and chief thinker at SNK, tweeted about it, explaining they had identified the problem but unfortunately, it wouldn’t be fixed in time before the beta’s end. So yes, patience was required during this open beta, with sometimes waiting several minutes to find an opponent, even when completely disconnected from the servers. It is unfortunate, but that is what a beta is for, testing live conditions. And at least, we learned that another beta would be available by April 24th, which is positive.
The second issue identified in this open beta pertains to the menus and interface, which lack clarity. Although the grid-like layout is visually appealing, it is not intuitive, a problem that Xbox has encountered previously. Furthermore, each grid cell contains multiple sub-menus, adding unnecessary complexity to the system. This becomes apparent when navigating through menu details, where non-intuitive movements and combat settings can be accessed by pressing the ‘Options’ button with a bottom page indication, which is far from straightforward. Additionally, there was a slight latency in menus, approximately half a second, sufficient to hinder smooth navigation. Clearly, SNK needs to address these issues promptly and make necessary adjustments to avoid criticism by April.
REAL LEAKS
However, let’s focus on the facts: the reason you are watching this video is due to the notorious Fatal Fury City of the Wolves leaks. Indeed, SNK was not sufficiently cautious, and by permitting access during the open beta, data specialists took advantage of the situation. As a result, nearly all the fighters set to appear in the game—whether part of the base roster, which is still incomplete, or characters planned for DLC across future Seasons Passes—are now known. While one might question the authenticity of this list and label it as fake, evidence has surfaced in the form of images that leave little room for doubt.
We will begin by revealing the identities of the last four characters in the base roster; remember that there will be 17 fighters at launch. Not surprisingly, the final four include Freeman, our English serial killer who prowls the streets of South Town. He makes a grand return 26 years after “Garou: Mark of the Wolves,” having never been allowed to reappear in any other SNK title since then. While he made cameo appearances in the backgrounds of games like “KOF 2002 Unlimited Match” or “NeoGeo Battle Coliseum,” this marks his true comeback as a playable character. The other two are Kim Kaphwan’s sons, Kim Dong Hwan and Kim Jae Hoon. The first has straight hair styled like a brush, wears red on his dobok, is known for being a prankster and lazy with high self-esteem. In contrast, his brother Kim Jae Hoon is more serious, respectful, and upholds a sense of justice; however, he has a rebellious strand of hair in front of his eyes.
For the 17th and final character in the base roster, who was launched on April 24th, it will be Hokutomaru, a disciple of Andy Bogard from whom he also learned techniques used by Mai Shiranui. This makes sense given Andy and Mai’s involvement, so it is not surprising. We have an image of this Hokutomaru as well, showing that he has grown considerably. He has transitioned from the naive boy of about ten years old seen in “Mark of the Wolves” to a 16/17-year-old adolescent. While he still wears his bangs and red scarf, he has traded his ninja attire for a more casual city style. Personally, I am not fond of this new style, which appears rather generic, similar to Billy Kane’s look.
REAL BOUT FATAL FURY 2
Regarding other leaks involving characters, it has been confirmed that Duck King, who last appeared in 2005 with KOF XI, is set for a return as a playable character. As one of the original characters from Fatal Fury featured in its inaugural entry, his comeback is noteworthy. Blue Mary will be available as DLC but lacks significant fan excitement due to her status as a recurring character. In contrast, Rick Strowd’s announcement has generated great enthusiasm; he served as Terry Bogard’s new rival in Real Bout 2 and is known for his fluid boxing style and powerful moves. Despite this, Xiang Fei will not be included, though Alfred, a character exclusive to the PlayStation version of Real Bout 2 due to being added after the Arcade and NeoGeo releases, is set to return.
Another notable piece of news is the return of Wolfgang Krauser, the legendary boss from Fatal Fury 2, complete with his church stage and iconic theme music. He reappears after a long hiatus, having last been seen in KOF 98, excluding his role as a striker in KOF 2000. With Krauser’s inclusion, Mr. Big, recently announced by SNK, will also be featured in Fatal Fury City of the Wolves. A leaked version of Mr. Big known as Nightmare Geese has been revealed; this iteration is similar to previous versions from Fatal Fury and KOF games, featuring a character rendered in gray tones, indicative of returning from hell with more powerful attacks. Rock Howard will also have his own Nightmare version, wearing the same outfit as his father—a bare-chested Uwagi. This represents a darker transformation for Rock, appropriately named Fallen Rock.
DISCIPLES & MASTERS
The leaks also confirm the return of Grant, who was previously Garou’s mid-boss, and who will reappear to deliver powerful moves with his imposing presence and masked identity. Another significant reveal is Ryo Sakazaki from the Art of Fighting series, making a cameo appearance much like in Fatal Fury Special, where players could use him via a cheat code. At that time, we were on the cusp of seeing more SNK crossovers, which were right before our eyes. Examining the leaks closely, there are still six unannounced character slots remaining, and I am already predicting Geese Howard in his normal form, Li Xiang Fei, and possibly even Kim Kaphwan. Since all the masters are returning alongside their disciples—such as Joe Higashi with Preecha, Andy Bogard and Mai Shiranui with Hokutomaru—it would be reasonable for Kim to share the spotlight with his two sons.
As for the rest, I leave you to speculate in the comments, but one thing is certain: we’re in for a great Fatal Fury. I know the game can be complex to get into, and the REV Guard system with its button layout hasn’t pleased everyone, but it’s just a matter of habit. SNK has taken the Garou Mark of the Wolves formula and evolved it; it takes time to grasp all of this, but personally, I’m already won over. All that’s left is to address the matchmaking issues and refine the interface, and we’ll be shining chrome…
The final discovery from the open beta by data miners is a unique mechanic inherent to the Fatal Fury series: the ability to switch planes. This feature has been a trademark of SNK, influencing gameplay from the original Fatal Fury through Real Bout 2, until Garou Mark of the Wolves reverted to using a single plane. A video extracted from the source code demonstrates Rock Howard and Terry Bogard each on separate lines, showcasing the plane switching. It remains uncertain whether this will be part of a bonus stage or a specific game mode. Currently, it seems improbable that this mechanic will be incorporated into the combat system, which is designed around a single plane. Only time will reveal its final implementation…
