Every KOFXV Fighter Shown In King of Fighters’ PlayStation Trailer

The King of Fighters 15 made an appearance during the most recent PlayStation State of Play, showcasing a wide range of characters and introducing fans to a brand new fighter to the franchise. Developers SNK also revealed at the event that an exclusive beta of KOF 15 would be coming to PlayStation 4 and PS5. KOF 15 is confirmed to be releasing on other platforms, but the beta will give PlayStation fans an exclusive taste of the game ahead of its launch in February 2022.

The King of Fighters franchise’s roster of colorful characters saw a brand new addition in Dolores, who made her debut during the trailer at PlayStation’s State of Play event. Dolores’s initial reveal came at SNK’s Gamescom trailer for The King of Fighters 15. However, it was at the PlayStation State of Play trailer where fans got to see the new fighter in action, showcasing her earth manipulation abilities against fellow newcomer Isla, as well as KOF 14 returning character Kukri. Dolores’s reveal was then followed by another announcement, this time revealing the roster of King of Fighters 15’s open beta.

Games in the King of Fighters franchise have become known for their larger-than-average rosters for fighting games, owing to the fact that fights are primarily played in a 3-on-3 format. Not counting the updated versions of the series’ two dream match titles – KOF ’98UM and 2002 UM – that sought to compile the complete rosters of their respective sagas in the franchise, King of Fighters 14 holds the franchise’s largest roster at 58 characters in total. KOF 15 may have a smaller roster at 39 characters, but a focus on fan-favorites that missed the previous title and newcomers pertinent to the overall plot shines through in the PlayStation State of Play trailer and Open Beta announcement.

 Classic King Of Fighters Characters In The PlayStation Trailer

During the PlayStation State of Play, the trailer for The King of Fighters 15 focused on eight characters that will be playable in the upcoming Open Beta on PlayStation platforms. Out of the eight King of Fighters characters, six of them will be familiar to long-time fans of the franchise with story roots that date back to the franchise’s very first story arc that spanned the first four games. Returning from the previous installment are Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami, franchise mainstays who have not missed a game since their respective debuts in KOF ’94 and ’95. The duo have remained consistent rivals through the series, often putting aside their differences in the face of a larger threat and teaming up with a fighter that shares some of their history and connections to an ancient evil.

Joining Kyo and Iori is their longtime ally Chizuru Kagura. King of Fighters 15’s tournament marks Chizuru’s first playable appearance since KOF 2003, where she lost her powers in the aftermath of the game’s plot. Having regained her powers since, she reunites with Kyo and Iori to form the Sacred Treasures Team, forcing Kyo to split from Team Japan to investigate the wider occurrences in the aftermath of the previous tournament. Meeting the Sacred Treasures Team, however, is a familiar group that had brought about the resurrection of the Orochi in a prior tournament.

Team Orochi, composed of Yashiro Nanakase, Shermie, and Chris, make their first appearance in a mainline, canonical KOF title since their debut in KOF ’97. Serving as members of the Orochi’s Heavenly Kings, the three sought the Orochi’s resurrection and gave their lives to fulfill their mission only for the Orochi to be sealed away by the Sacred Treasures team. The trio remained dead, only making appearances in the franchise’s dream match titles and their updated versions. However, the defeat of Verse in King of Fighters 14 resulted in numerous fighters and individuals being revived, bringing Team Orochi back into the fold. The aftermath of the previous tournament has also resulted in newcomers from KOF 14 returning as well as new fighters being introduced to the series.

New King Of Fighters Characters Coming To KOF 15

Shun’ei made his debut in KOF 14 as part of Team China with his friend Meitenkun and his mentor, the man who mentored Geese Howard, Tung Fu Rue. The latest installment sees Shun’ei teaming with Meitenkun and series mainstay Benimaru Nikaido as the Hero Team, with Shun’ei officially stepping forward as the current protagonist of this arc. Shun’ei’s powers are sensed by the monster Verse after his arrival at the end of the tournament, leading to a confrontation that is won by Shun’ei. This battle sets free the many souls trapped within Verse’s body, leading to the revival of the aforementioned Team Orochi as well as a new, mysterious entrant into the tournament.

The earth manipulator Dolores makes her King of Fighters debut in the latest installment of the franchise. Dolores was previously featured in the Gamescom trailer for the game, showcasing a glimpse of her role in the overall story. Now revealed to be part of the Rival Team alongside fellow newcomer Isla, Dolores’s role in the story is further accentuated by her third teammate, Heidern. In previous arcs, Heidern has tended to fill a more investigative role in the story, either working within his own unit of allies or with other agents to gather intelligence and even missing tournaments completely as a result. Dolores and Isla’s tandem with Heidern gives the newcomers an immediate impact in the overall story, and Dolores’s apparent resurrection after the defeat of Verse hints at a potentially larger connection.

The PlayStation State of Play trailer for The King of Fighters 15 showcased heroes both new and old, with every single one of them holding a deep tie to the overall narrative of the ongoing arc of the series. The announcement of an Open Beta for the title on PlayStation platforms will allow players to test these fan favorites and hopeful newcomers and put SNK’s rollback netcode through the paces before the title’s launch on February 17th, 2022. With series mainstays, popular returnees, and pertinent new faces all arriving on the scene, The King of Fighters 15‘s pledge to shatter all expectations may begin with the strength of its roster.

About The Author

Lawrence Maldonado
(122 Articles Published)

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Lawrence Maldonado is a writer, editor, and lifelong video game nerd born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He has edited an eBook for a voice actor in video games while also having done work as a Community Editor for a video game company. On the side, he would write articles and blogs about video games and the industry in general, leading him to cover games on Screen Rant as a freelance writer. Currently, he can be found wandering the realm of Eorzea while venturing to be the very best like no one ever was. His favorite video game of all time? The answer changes almost daily.

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