'The King of Fighters XIV' to be PS4 exclusive

King of Fighters XIV logoSNK Playmore

SNK Playmore has confirmed that its upcoming fighting game, "The King of Fighters XIV," will be a PlayStation 4 exclusive. The game was first unveiled at the recent Tokyo Game Show and will be playable at the upcoming PlayStation Experience 2015 event, which will be held at San Francisco, CA on Dec. 5 to Dec. 6.

According to a report from PlayStation Lifestyle, the mere fact that the demo is making its way to the PlayStation Experience is a means of confirming that the title will indeed see a North America and European release instead of just releasing in Japan.

It is also pointed out that very few details thus far about the game have been released except for a small blurb that reads:

"'KOF' has been revamped with brand new high-quality 3D visuals, however staying true to its gameplay roots! Evolved to the next generation, 'KOF' returns in a brand new installment, 'KOF XIV' on PlayStation 4!"

Along with the announcement came the official trailer for the game, which showcases several recurring characters from the long-running franchise such as Iori Yagami. However, as explained in the blurb, the game has moved on from its traditional hand-drawn 2D art and has now taken a blend of 3D and cell-shaded animated art.

No HUD is shown in the trailer so it is unclear at this point which mechanics of the game have been altered, although the footage does showcase combo executions and a few special moves. 

According to a report from IGN, other mainstays that will return include main protagonist Terry Bogard, Leona Heidern, Kyo Kusanagi and Chang Koehan. Also being brought in to the roster is Terry's brother, Andy Bogard. 

While the game is stated to be a PS4 exclusive, the report from IGN speculates if the game will see a later PC port via Steam. However, it is very likely that the game will not see a release on the Xbox One or Nintendo Wii U, making "The King of Fighters XIV" the second main fighting game that will only be on the PS4, the other being "Street Fighter V."

"The King of Fighters XIV" is scheduled to release in 2016.