The fighting game community is currently experiencing a significant debate regarding the number of guest characters slated for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. SNK recently announced that Manjiro "Mikey" Sano and Ken "Draken" Ryuguji from the popular anime Tokyo Revengers will join the game's roster. These additions follow previous announcements of guest characters including Chun-Li and Ken from Street Fighter, professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, music artist Salvatore Ganacci, and Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star.
While some crossovers are more expected, such as those between Capcom and SNK properties, the inclusion of five guest characters from entirely unrelated franchises has led some players to question the direction of the game. This trend of incorporating non-fighting game characters into major titles like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and City of the Wolves has become increasingly prevalent. For instance, Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy 7 is set to appear in Street Fighter 6, and Yujiro Hanma from Baki is coming to Tekken 8. Although these individual additions typically do not cause widespread concern, especially in a series like Tekken known for its eccentric guest characters, the sheer volume of such characters in City of the Wolves has drawn notable attention. Players have expressed surprise and amusement on social media platforms, with some questioning why characters from other popular martial arts anime, like Baki or Kengan Ashura, were not prioritized over the Tokyo Revengers protagonists.
The history of fighting games includes numerous instances of guest characters from diverse backgrounds. The Mortal Kombat franchise, for example, has featured characters like Robocop, Omni-Man, Homelander, the Terminator, and the Xenomorph from Alien. A common argument is that these Mortal Kombat additions generally aligned with the game's established dark and violent tone. In contrast, the guest character selection for City of the Wolves is perceived by some as more eclectic, with the inclusion of a real-life athlete like Cristiano Ronaldo being a particularly noteworthy departure for a mainline fighting game.
Despite the divided reception, SNK appears committed to this approach for City of the Wolves. The developer's willingness to populate the game with a diverse array of characters, regardless of their origin, is noted by observers, though not every addition has been met with universal enthusiasm. The high rate of character additions per season is considered laudable, but the nature of these inclusions continues to be a point of discussion within the player base.