Ken Masters Joins Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves This Summer

Ken Masters is stepping into Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves as the second free DLC character in Season Pass 1. His move set takes inspiration from his Street Fighter 6 version, but SNK has made adjustments to fit the four-button combat system and unique mechanics of City of the Wolves. The result is a character who feels like he belongs in South Town, mixing familiar fireball and Dragon Punch action with new tactical options, including lane-switching and feint setups. Players can expect fast, combo-heavy gameplay and plenty of fire-enhanced attacks when Ken’s update lands later this summer.

Ken’s arrival continues the Capcom–SNK collaboration streak that has already brought Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui into Street Fighter 6, alongside re-releases of crossover titles like Capcom vs. SNK and SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium. Now it’s Ken’s turn to visit SNK’s turf, and City of the Wolves gives him a striking comic-book visual style to match the game’s aesthetic.

We previously announced this event, but now it's time to delve into all the details of Ken's legendary appearance in Fatal Fury!

Adjusting Ken for City of the Wolves’ Controls

SNK’s fighter uses a four-button layout, or five if you count heavy use of the Rev button. That’s a big change from the six-button setup Ken comes from in Street Fighter. To bridge the gap, SNK has added command normals—modified inputs that trigger the missing moves. For instance, down+HK gives a medium kick equivalent, while diagonal down+HK delivers the familiar low sweep. Likewise, a hard punch alone now gives the medium gut-punch, but forward+HP unleashes the fierce attack. Once adjusted to the scheme, Ken can be played much like in Street Fighter 6.

New Tools: Feint and Rev Blow

Ken gains City of the Wolves’ Feint mechanic, allowing fake versions of certain attacks. His fake Hadouken can bait jumps for a Dragon Punch punish, though this is trickier to pull off without human opponents. Feints also cancel recovery on some normals, opening fresh combo opportunities.

Selective Potential Gear (S.P.G.)—the game’s evolution of the old T.O.P. system—adds more tactical depth. Depending on where you set the yellow S.P.G. bar on your health gauge, you can trigger it at different health levels to boost damage and access armored Rev Blows. Ken’s Rev Blow takes the form of his Street Fighter 6 Drive Impact hook punch. While it doesn’t cause wall splats like in SF6, it can crumple or knock down, enabling unique combo routes.

Line-Sway Comes to Ken

The line-sway mechanic—allowing fighters to shift between foreground and background lanes—returns in limited form on certain stages, like Dream Amusement Park Morning. Ken can dodge, reposition, or knock opponents into another lane with specific attacks. This integration of a signature Fatal Fury system makes Ken feel like a true South Town resident.

Extra Tactics and Moves

Ken’s toolkit benefits from City of the Wolves’ Break system, which cancels certain special and super moves to shorten animations and set up follow-ups. This is similar to Street Fighter 6’s super cancels. For example, breaking his hurricane kick mid-spin can set up the next hit.

His defensive options include Just Defend, which recovers health and offers other perks. Ken’s Just Defend uses his Street Fighter 6 parry animation and can even be performed mid-air, a feature not in SF6.

One notable crossover touch: if Ken’s Dragon Punch collides with Terry Bogard’s Burn Knuckle, the moves deflect, pushing both fighters back.

Visuals and Style

In City of the Wolves, Ken gets a comic book-style visual overhaul that blends seamlessly with SNK’s modern aesthetic. His fire-infused specials look bold against the game’s stylized backgrounds, and his animations keep the aggressive, forward-pressing feel that Street Fighter fans know.

Release and Platforms

Ken’s DLC drops later this summer, with no firm date yet. He will be free for all players, making him an easy addition to the roster. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is available now on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Ken’s crossover is more than just a guest appearance—it’s a fusion of two fighting game worlds. With tweaked controls, classic and new mechanics, and SNK’s own design philosophy layered over a Street Fighter legend, this is one of the most seamless fighter integrations in recent years. Players who main Ken in Street Fighter will feel at home, while Fatal Fury veterans will see a character who respects the series’ traditions but brings his own fiery style.

When Ken finally hits South Town, the battles between him, Terry, and the rest of the cast are set to be some of the summer’s biggest fighting game highlights.

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