Although most fighting game fans have expected the U.S. release of The King of Fighters XII, official word came down the line today. Ignition Entertainment confirmed the U.S. release of the next iteration in SNK's renowned fighting franchise. Although no platforms or specifics have been revealed, at least fans of the series can rest assured that the game will be hitting home consoles in 2009. The game will also see a European release during the same year.
King of Fighters XII, in celebration of its 15th Anniversary, will be taking some big strides forward in terms of visuals. "For the first time in its history, this ultimate fighting game has undergone a complete graphical overhaul. All sprites used over the past 14 years have been dropped and replaced with new 2D high-definition, high-resolution sprites, on detailed 2D backgrounds, drawn 100 percent by hand." This should definitely please hardcore enthusiasts eager to see a graphical update to the long-standing franchise.
We'll keep you posted when more details are released.