By Sagar V. Mankar 
Fighting game Fatal Fury returns to competitive gaming through a new partnership with the Esports World Cup 2025, marking the franchise’s comeback after 26 years.
The Esports World Cup Foundation [EWCF] and SNK have joined forces in a three-year agreement that will showcase Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves at this summer’s premier gaming event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This collaboration is particularly noteworthy as Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund holds major stakes in both organizations.
The upcoming game, scheduled for release on April 24, 2025, represents a significant milestone for the Fatal Fury series, which hasn’t seen a new entry since 1999’s Garou: Mark of the Wolves. According to Fabian Scheuermann, chief games officer at the Esports World Cup Foundation, this partnership arrives at an opportune moment when fighting games and retro titles are experiencing a remarkable resurgence driven by nostalgia and community enthusiasm.
SNK CEO Kenji Matsubara also expressed excitement about the partnership, noting that the Esports World Cup provides an ideal platform to showcase the franchise’s enduring appeal while connecting with a new generation of fans. Matsubara noted that, alongside other notable titles in SNK’s fighting game library, such as “The King of Fighters XV” and “Samurai Shodown,” the company aims to continue leading in the expanding world of esports.
This marks the 19th title added to the extensive lineup of The 2025 Esports World Cup, which already includes mainstream esports titles such as PUBG, CS2, MLBB, and DOTA 2. In addition to Fatal Fury, the tournament also features Street Fighter 6, another popular fighting game.
The inaugural Esports World Cup in 2024 featured 200 clubs and 1,500 elite athletes from 100 countries, competing in 22 tournaments across 21 games for a $60 million prize pool. The eight-week competition and festival attracted 500 million online viewers and saw 2.6 million attendees.
Last year, EWCF signed a similar three-year agreement with Level Infinite for PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings esports. This year, they have done the same with Call of Duty League and Chess.com.