SNK vs. Capcom (series)



SNK vs. Capcom  is a series of crossover games developed by SNK and Capcom  featuring characters that appear in games created by both of these two companies. The "vs. series" terminology originates from the fact that many of these games are fighting games.

As a rule, games in this series either contain SNK vs. Capcom, the first company denoting the company behind the game's development. Games in this series appear for various platforms, including the Sega NAOMI (arcade), Neo Geo (arcade), PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS, Xbox, Neo Geo Pocket, Neo Geo Pocket Color and Dreamcast.

History
The supposed origin behind this series was an issue of the Arcadia magazine in which there were articles covering both The King of Fighters '98 and Street Fighter Alpha 3, both of which were released at around the same time. Readers had misread the cover, which said KOF vs. SF, suggesting that there was a fighting game that would pit characters from both the Street Fighter and The King of Fighters series. Because of this uproar, Takashi Nishiyama contacted Yoshiki Okamoto as SNK was struggling financially. Takashi Nishiyama tried to coming up with a project that utilized both companies' assets. Capcom and SNK supposedly signed a deal that would allow them to produce only two fighting games concerning both franchises in 1999 (the Card Fighters series were not fighting games and therefore were exempt from the rule).

It is possible that SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos was made in order to fulfill the contract obligations that SNK made prior to the company filing bankruptcy and their eventual closing in 2000. If one company was the main developer of one game, the distributing company would gain the profits and not the company that licensed the characters for use. SNK gave the rights to use their characters to Capcom for both Capcom vs. SNK and Capcom vs. SNK 2, although SNK didn't profit from it at all.

There were interviews which SNK stated that it would be possible to renew their contract with Capcom to make new SNK vs. Capcom games  but in an another interview, both companies stated that they would not do any further collaboration with each other, with SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS possibly be the last crossover game made between both companies. However, in an interview from January 2009, Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono expressed interest in a possible third game if fans demand it.

In August 2022, Yasuyuki Oda stated that "both parties" are interested in a potential revival of the series.

Capcom vs. SNK 3
According to an interview with former The King of Fighters series director Toyohisa Tanabe, Capcom vs. SNK 3 had actually been in development, but ultimately cancelled, at some point.

The interview, originally shared on Capcom's Shadaloo C.R.I website back in November 2017 features Capcom developer Takayuki Nakayama speaking with Mr. Tanabe about the cancelled Capcom Fighting All-Stars fighting game. Mr. Tanabe mentions that he was brought in to lead the Capcom Fighting All-Stars team after leaving his company of employment in 2001 when it "fell apart for a number of reasons." Tanabe notes that former Capcom director Yoshiki Okamoto was also working on another fighting game at the time:

"Right before Fighting All Stars got started, there was another fighting game that got stopped during development…"

- Toyohisa Tanabe

"Ah, that would be ****** ** *** *! I've seen several designs and models from it."

- Takayuki Nakayama

During the interview it was also mentioned that a secret character from his old company was set to be playable in Capcom Fighting All Stars. The revealed silhouette, referred to only as “***”. It should also be noted that the silhouette's name is referred to as "〇〇" on the Japanese version of the interview. Although it has never been confirmed, it is heavily implied that the Guest SNK character was going to be K'.

In a 2018 interview with Yasuyuki Oda, when asked if Capcom vs. SNK 3 will ever happen Oda's response was

"To be absolutely honest, those games were made at a time when both parties had seemingly exhausted the current franchises, so unity and new product were key to keeping players interested. There are no plans for a third game and I cannot see it happening."

Games produced by SNK

 * SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium - (1999) A portable fighting game released for the Neo Geo Pocket Color. The game features three different playing rules to choose from (Single Battle, Tag Match, and Team Battle). The game features an "Olympic Mode" with themed minigames.
 * SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash - (1999) Also released for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, a collectable card game featuring trading card based on SNK's and Capcom's properties. Two versions were produced; the SNK Supporter's Version and the Capcom Supporter's Version.
 * SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters 2 - Expand Edition - (2000) The sequel to Card Fighters Clash, released the Neo Geo Pocket Color in Japan and Asia only. Includes cards based on Capcom vs. SNK 2. An English patch titled "Card Fighters Clash 2" has been made and released in 2008.
 * SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos - (2003) Released for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform and ported to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. A one-on-one fighting game featuring 36 characters.
 * SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS - (2006-2007) A Card Fighters Clash sequel released for the Nintendo DS.

Games produced by Capcom

 * Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 - Released for NAOMI arcade hardware in 2000 and ported to the Dreamcast during the same year, features 28 characters, two selectable fighting styles or "grooves" and a ratio-based character selection system. An updated version titled Capcom vs. SNK Pro, released for the arcades and Dreamcast in Japan and ported to the PlayStation in 2001
 * Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 - Released for the NAOMI hardware in 2001 and ported to the Dreamcast (in Japan only) and PlayStation 2 during the same year, features a total of 48 characters. The game expands on the "Groove" system from the previous game by featuring six different fighting styles or "Grooves" and adds twelve new characters in addition to the ones featured in Capcom vs. SNK Pro. The Nintendo GameCube and Xbox versions were released under the title of Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO with the "EO" referring to "Easy Operation", a game option intended for novices to the game. The PS2 version was later released on PlayStation Network in July 2013.

Legacy
While no new SNK vs. Capcom titles have been released since Card Fighter DS, characters from both companies have appeared together in a handful of other titles.


 * Tekken 7 - Developed and released by Bandai Namco Studios in 2015 for Arcade, then in 2017 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. Street Fighter ' s Akuma is the only guest character in initial roster, due to playing parts in its storyline, while Geese Howard is a non-canon DLC character. It also features other non-canon guest characters from Square Enix's Final Fantasy, with Noctis Lucis Caelum from Final Fantasy XV as a DLC character, as well as Negan Smith from Image's comic series Walking Dead (based on AMC's TV adaption).
 * Fighting EX Layer - Developed by Arika for Arcade, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android and Microsoft Windows in 2018. Despite not being developed by Capcom, Akira has ties with the former company, as this game itself is a spiritual successor to Capcom-published Street Fighter EX trilogy, and Namco-published arcade only Fighting Layer.
 * SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy -  Mainly developed and published by SNK for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Arcade and Microsoft Windows in 2018, whereas Sega publishes Asian version, while NIS America publishes Non-Japanese version of PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. In exchange for original male Terry’s DLC guest inclusion in Fighting EX Layer, this game features a female version of Arika’s fighting series’ character, Skullomania. Similarly, Thief Arthur from Square-Enix series, Millions Arthur also appear in this game, in exchange for the inclusion of Miss X’s original male identity, Iori in Millions Arthur’s fighting game adaption developed by Team Arcana (creator of Arcana Heart series), Millions Arthur: Arcana Blood for Arcade, PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows in 2017.
 * Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Co-Developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd., and published by Nintendo in 2018 for Nintendo Switch, which features all characters from Nintendo, including third-party companies like SNK, Capcom, Bandai Namco, Square-Enix, Microsoft, Konami, Sega and Disney.
 * The King of Fighters All Star - A mobile game for iOS, Microsoft Windows and Android, developed by Netmarble in 2018. While The King of Fighters is the main title it features collaboration characters from not just Samurai Shodown and Street Fighter, but also Gintama, Tekken, WWE, Seven Knights, The Seven Deadly Sins, Dead or Alive, and Guilty Gear.