Ignition Entertainment has announced that The King of Fighters XII will be released in North America and Europe in 2009. The highly anticipated fighting game is expected to be released on PS3 and Xbox 360.

For the first time in the franchise, KOF XII has undergone a complete graphical overhaul. All sprites used over the last 14 years have been dropped and replaced with new high definition, high resolution sprites on detailed 2D backgrounds, drawn 100% by hand.

“Dreams never die!” said Ajay Chadha, President of Ignition Entertainment. “I’ve been a huge The King of Fighters fan since 1994 when the game first debuted and I know original fans will be as excited as I am about this groundbreaking installment of this very popular series. And just as importantly, The King of Fighters XII should be a treat for the new gamers who’ve just been introduced to the hugely popular franchise.”