Ignition Entertainment and SNK PLAYMORE announced today that The King of Fighters XII is available now in stores nationwide. The game, which features four gameplay modes, new gameplay elements, arcade-style online lobbies, a worldwide online ranking system and much more, is being released during the franchise’s landmark 15th anniversary. Below is the press release announcing the game's arrival to stores:

---

IGNITION ENTERTAINMENT AND SNK PLAYMORE’S AWARD-WINNING THE KING OF FIGHTERS XII SHIPS NATIONWIDE

Highly Anticipated Fighting Game Now Available on PLAYSTATION®3 System and Xbox 360® Video Game and Entertainment System from Microsoft

Glendale, CA – July 28, 2009 – Ignition Entertainment Ltd., a UTV Enterprise, a worldwide publisher and developer of videogames, and SNK PLAYMORE are excited to announce that The King of Fighters XII is now available nationwide for the Xbox 360® and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The King of Fighters XII is rated T for Teen and is available for $59.99.

The King of Fighters is one of the most revered three-on-three fighting franchises ever and 2009 marks the franchise’s landmark 15th anniversary. The latest installment of The King of Fighters series, The King of Fighters XII continues the epic martial arts showdown and reemerges with a complete graphical overhaul. The King of Fighters XII features 22 gorgeous hand-drawn 2D characters from SNK’s arcade history. All sprites used over the past 14 years have been dropped and replaced with brand new 2D high-definition, high-resolution sprites on beautifully detailed 2D backgrounds.

“Now in its fifteenth year, The King of Fighters is one of the most popular fighting game franchises of all time,” said Shane Bettenhausen, New Business Development Director of Ignition Entertainment. “This latest installment of The King of Fighters delivers next-gen action, compelling gameplay, beautiful 2D art and insanely intense online combat. The King of Fighters XII won several best fighting game awards this year at E3 – an industry testament to the timeless thrills of the franchise and the updates and additions made to continue the game’s legacy.”

The King of Fighters XII features four gameplay modes, new gameplay elements such as Critical Counter Attacks, clan formation (PS3 version only), arcade-style online lobbies, a worldwide online ranking system and more. The 22 hand-drawn characters include favorites from earlier King of Fighters including Kyo Kusanagi, Athena Asamiya, Raiden and Leona Heidern. Additional information about the game can be found at the game’s official website: www.kingoffighters12.com, on Twitter: www.twitter.com/KOF12 and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kingoffighters12

From Street Fighter IV to BlazBlue and beyond, 2009 is a fighting fan's dream.

 

July 23, 2009 - In February, Capcom kicked 2009 off with a release fighting game fanatics had been anticipating for years: Street Fighter IV. Fans of the series were so excited they rushed out and bought 849,000 copies that month alone, pushing the highly rated title to the top of the videogame sales charts for the February, according to the NPD Group.

And can you really blame gamers for snapping up Street Fighter IV right away? In most years, one major release is all fighting fans dare to expect. Last year it was Soulcalibur IV, with Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe as a consolation prize. But 2009 is different.

After Street Fighter IV hit the shelves, release dates started to trickle in for other marquis fighting games. BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, the spiritual successor to Arc System Works' Guilty Gear franchise, was heading for a June release. Namco Bandai's Tekken 6 now has a firm date of October 27. The King of Fighters XII hits stores next week. And Wii gamers should be playing Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars by the time the year is out.

Want more? Well you're going to get it, because there's a separate wave of classic fighters hitting digital download services this year, too. SNK's Fatal Fury: Garou – Mark of the Wolves was released for Xbox Live Arcade last month and Marvel vs. Capcom 2 comes to XBLA and the PlayStation Network next week. There will likely be more before the year is out.

By all accounts, 2009 is shaping up to be the best year for fighting games in recent memory. But why? And is that really a good thing for gamers? To answer those questions, we brought together a group of IGN's biggest fighting fans for an Editor Roundtable on the topic. Joining us are IGN PlayStation Associate Editor Ryan Clements, Game Help Editor-in-Chief Mark Ryan Sallee, Insider Editor-in-Chief David Clayman, and Xbox 360 Editor Charles Onyett. If you're a fan of fighting games, and if you care about the past, present and future of the genre, you'll want to read what they have to say.

Eighth annual event to feature fierce competition, exciting news, prizes and bragging rights.

 July 10, 2009 - SANTA CLARA, Calif. – It's time to throw down the gauntlet as NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. and leading Tekken fan site, SD TEKKEN, today announced that they will host four days of TEKKEN 6 tournaments at Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. The tournaments will be held on July 23 - 26 in Room 17B at the San Diego Convention Center. This exhibition is an opportunity for all players to check out the console versions of TEKKEN 6 prior to its much anticipated North American release on October 27, 2009.

To compete against the best, sign-ups will begin at 10 a.m. each day in the tournament room. Competitions will commence during the following times: 

• Thursday, July 23 – 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m. (Finals)
• Friday, July 24 – 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. (Finals)
• Saturday, July 25 - 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. (Finals)
• Sunday, July 26 – 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. (Finals)

At the end of each day, the tournament winners from that day will then be invited to compete for a daily grand prize. 

"TEKKEN 6 is the undeniably best fighting game in the world," said In Joon Hwang, brand manager at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. "We are ecstatic to be partnering with SD TEKKEN to showcase TEKKEN 6 at this year's Comic-Con and to enable our community to play, compete and experience the fierce fury of the next Iron Fist Tournament." 

"With this being our eighth year running Tekken tournaments at Comic-Con, SD TEKKEN is proud to give gamers a chance to enjoy a game that is near and dear to our gaming hearts. Gamers will experience the latest edition of one of the most revered fighting game series in history. We are excited and honored to be working alongside NAMCO BANDAI Games to bring attendees a series of tournaments that will blow their minds! This is a great opportunity for gamers to get a first hand experience with the console version of TEKKEN 6, enjoy watching high level tournament play and experiencing one of the most action packed 3D fighters ever made," said Mark Julio, SD TEKKEN Director and Founder.