While those of us in the fighting game community still look on the name SNK Playmore fondly thanks to their history of development in the genre, recent years have seen this venerable studio shift their focus to the manufacture of pachislot machines. Instead of bringing us legitimate Fatal Fury and Samurai Shodown installments, they instead decided to use those properties for other purposes, losing a bit of goodwill in the process.

Back in November, however, fans were given a glimmer of hope when SNK Playmore release an official statement describing their decision to move away from the pachislot business in favor of the traditional game development that put them on the map in the first place. The uncertainty of the market was cited as the main impetus, but a recent interview with the chief of their gaming division, Yutaka Noguchi, shines a light on some of the other factors behind the move.

Speaking with Famitsu (and subsequently translated by MMCafe’s Professor), Noguchi said the success of PC ports like King of Fighters XIII Steam Edition helped push them back towards game development, not to mention the international recognition their various brands enjoy to this day. “Even as of now, we’re better known as a game company than a pachislot company. People still talk about us (as a game company) when we say our name,” Noguchi explained.

While the old saying “vote with your wallet” doesn’t produce results as often as we’d like it to, those of you who supported SNK Playmore’s various Steam releases over the past few years can definitely put a feather in your cap for this one. For more on Noguchi’s conversation with Famitsu, be sure to visit MMCafe by following the link below.

Source: Famitsu via MMCafe, IPLAYWINNER