Samurai Shodown Announced, Teaser Showcases New Graphics

SNK’s Samurai Shodown, also known as Samurai Spirits in Japan, will see a new title release in 2019 for consoles. The announcement was made during Sony’s pre-TGS Lineup Tour. The game features all the classic fighters rendered with Unreal Engine. Check out the teaser below for a glimpse at the gameplay and set-up.

No further information was provided on the next title, though it will adhere to the series’ tradition of weapons-based fighting. The setting of feudal-era Japan and various warriors warring remains as faithful as ever.

The real question is whether the title will see enough interest from fighting game fans. The Samurai Shodown franchise as a whole has been completely dormant since Samurai Shodown Anthology released in 2009; the last “real” Samurai Shodown game was Samurai Shodown 6, released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2.

Perhaps the combination of a new graphics engine and more stylish combat will attract attention, even with competitors like Soulcalibur 6 and Dead or Alive 6 releasing in the coming months.