Neo-Geo Dead...

[A Black Falcon]

It lasted 13 years, but SNK has finally given up on the Neo-Geo and is moving to Sammy's Atomiswave.

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/493/493670p1.html

SNK to Atomiswave
Company puts an end to the Neo Geo.
February 20, 2004 - After first announcing plans last year to develop games on Sammy's Atomiswave arcade board, SNK Playmore delved into specifics at today's AOU arcade show, now running at the Makuhari Messe convention center just outside of Tokyo.

The company revealed that it has finalized a partnership contract with Sammy. As part of the deal, SNK Playmore will put an end to development on its 13-year-old Neo Geo arcade board with the next installment in the Samurai Spirits series, due for Japanese arcade release this Spring. All future development from the company will take place on the Atomiswave board.

Sammy's Atomiswave board, first announced two years back as a low cost arcade board solution, makes use of a scaled down version of Sega's Naomi arcade chipset. So far, the board has received support mostly from Sammy itself, with Guilty Gear being the biggest name to appear thus far.

Getting things off to a big start on its new arcade home, SNK Playmore announced three titles for the board: The King of Fighters 2004 (tentative name), Samurai Spirits AW (tentative name) and Metal Slug 6.

SNK Playmore is promising to make use of the more advanced capabilities of the Atomiswave board to give these titles features that couldn't be achieved on the Neo Geo. King of Fighters will have upgraded sound, graphics and gameplay as well as new characters. Metal Slug 6 will feature network compatibility. Samurai Spirits AW promises some interesting changes, although the company wouldn't delve into specifics.

It was also revealed that development on the tentatively-titled The King of Fighters Neowave, announced by SNK Playmore for the Atomiswave last year, is still continuing. Details on the title were not provided at the show.

We'll have more as we learn it.