We’ve heard that King of Fighters XII has been dated for Japanese arcades new April, and now we hear about the game’s ever expanding line-up. There are 11 playable characters in the show floor demo: Terry, Kim, Athena Asamiya, Leona Heidern, Ralf Jones, Kyo Kusanagi, Shen Woo, Ryo Sakazaki, Benimaru Nikaido, Robert Garcia and Ash Crimson. Three characters were announced as well: Iori Yagami, Andy Bogart and Raiden.
There are lots of arcades in Japan. Hell, there is a book’s worth of arcades in Japan. But elsewhere? Hrm. The head of SEGA’s AM2 arcade division, Makoto Osaki, calls the arcade market outside of Japan “practically dead” in an interview with game site Kikizo. Here’s Osaki:
Swimsuit model and space alien Yuko Ogura is no longer the face of SEGA. The current “image character” is TK, and Ogura’s moved onto better things! Like being a “Live Face” mask model or being on TV sometimes and saying things. Look! Ogura now has a chain or Korean BBQ restaurants. I spotted one earlier today. Not sure if this is the kinda place I’d buy raw meat from to cook. And literally fifteen paces from the Ogura meat house?