Well, nobody and I mean NOBODY saw this coming.

The topic of collaboration is always a hot one, and as the FGC rightfully says, every guest character is a stolen slot, but as every watcher knows, guest characters bring eyes onto both IPs.

While people are up in arms, or despair over EVO JAPAN registration numbers, the debate continues over the representation of an enjoyable game.  Nobody says hey, this is a really enjoyable game, unless they are bursting at the seams to say it, and I’ve seen way more of those than I’ve seen “those guests killed the hype for me”. Again, if we look at representation, even from SNK’s data, there’s a lot to be said, and requires a deep dive.  More on this later, as long as I don’t have to return to work.

Now, the only thing buzzing in my head is that there is a new Hokuto No Ken game in the games at EVO Japan 2026.  We haven’t even seen it yet, but it’s a competitive fighter.  Who is making it?   Calls for ASW abound, but what if suddenly SNK and Arika were to announce that HNK was what they were actually working on?  Eagle eyed fans have spotted lots of Fatal Fury references in the trailer but does that really confirm that Kenshiro will be a guest for COTW?  Either way, I’m hyped for SNK, and I’m sure that the guest haters will continue to hate, but they will further be drowned out by the positivity.  I’m still ambivalent towards the game.  It’s good, but, KOF4Ever.

Now, here’s my stupid vid