SNK Playmore have announced that the Japanaese release of The King of Fighters XII has been delayed. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game was originally set for release on Jul. 16, but has now slipped to a vague TBA July date.

According to the press release, SNK Playmore are holding back the game in order to deliver a better product to users, which is PR speak for “it’s not quite ready yet.” The company have also said that a more specific release date will be provided once it becomes available. It is not yet know if this will have a knock-on effect on the Western release.

The first-ever HD The King of Fighters game, KoF XII is 100% hand-drawn and 100% gorgeous. The final game is expected to ship with 22 fighters, two more than the Japanese arcade release, yet still pretty damn small by KoF standards. With the extra development time, and the reduced roster, we’re hoping for the tightest, most balanced, and most cohesive KoF yet. Here’s hoping.