SNK released a statement apologizing for an SNK Allstar ad on October 28, 2020. The ad in question shows Terry Bogard slapping the behinds of three female characters, Blue Mary, Mai Shiranui, and Kula Diamond. For those unfamiliar with The King of Fighters, Kula Diamond, is underage and 14 years old during the events of the fighting game.
Following backlash online, SNK made a statement distancing itself from the short web commercial. The company explained that its licensing partner created the ad without its approval for the mobile game. The company made the following statement on its official Twitter account:
…asking for the ad to be taken down immediately. We sincerely apologize to our fans that such an offensive ad managed to make it to public release and hope for your understanding. We will strive to do better in the future along with our partners. (2/2)
— SNK GLOBAL (@SNKPofficial) October 28, 2020
After making rounds on the internet, fans raised complaints regarding the SNK Allstar ad. Many criticized its depiction of Terry, saying it’s out-of-character for the “legendary hungry wolf.” Terry is one of the main protagonists of the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series, and he’s known as a cheerful, friendly, and charismatic everyman. In addition, some fans criticized the ad for its cheap attempt at marketing.
Twitter user Fighting-Games Daily still has the original video uploaded here:
What in the actual tf was that? pic.twitter.com/vuJpFpP1jJ
— Fighting-Games Daily (@FGC_Daily) October 27, 2020
SNK Allstar is available now on Android and Apple iOS devices.
