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Press release:
Osaka, Japan, April 20th, 2022.
SNK Corporation and Bitmap Books are today very proud to announce the “KING OF FIGHTERS: The Ultimate History” book.

The KING OF FIGHTERS (KOF) is one of the most important fighting game series of all time, and today it is considered versus fighter royalty. But despite this legacy, the history of this long-running and much beloved gaming series has never been comprehensively told – until now. THE KING OF FIGHTERS: The Ultimate History will be released this summer.

In the first officially licensed and fully endorsed book of its type, the story of the KOF franchise is revealed in its entirety. THE KING OF FIGHTERS: The Ultimate History grants access to illustrations and artwork, as well as the key members of the original development team.

This official history delivers a comprehensive visual and written history of KOF: It celebrates iconic characters such as Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami, as well as the voice actors who brought them to life. It uncovers never-before-seen details about the mysterious origins of KOF and delves into the sumptuous pixel art and rich story narratives the series is known for. With its wealth of imagery and information, this is the ultimate KOF history.

The ALL-STAR EDITION of THE KING OF FIGHTERS: The Ultimate History includes not only the book, but also a heavy-board slipcase to house it, five art prints and a postcard featuring exclusive illustrations by Eisuke Ogura. The slipcase includes a series of touch-panels on its fascia, which when pressed, play in-game sound effects for each fighter. This makes the book a perfect collector’s item.

THE KING OF FIGHTERS: The Ultimate History will be available this summer for $45.50. The ALL-STAR EDITION will be available for $71.50. More information can be found on www.kof-book.com. Assets are available here.

About SNK
Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, SNK develop, publish, and distribute interactive entertainment software on a global scale. Known for such franchises as THE KING OF FIGHTERS, METAL SLUG, and SAMURAI SHODOWN, SNK continues to focus on their rich console game and arcade history.

About Bitmap Books
Founded by graphic designer Sam Dyer, Bitmap Books is an award-winning independent publisher of retro gaming books. The company aims to celebrate the software, hardware, developers, and code shops that laid down the foundations for the billion-dollar industry we know and love today.

Jonas “O.J” Ek
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @TheGamingGround