Whatever size the new SNK partner is has probably no importance. SNK had a number of partners in the past but the truth is that the gaming division is scraping by and in agony for quite some years, probably since they stopped having a yearly KoF game (2003-2004). For all we know, the new Chinese owners are more interested in the pachinko division, or doing a MMORPG, or mobile games, probably something focused on the asian market. Beyond financing a couple games to keep the franchise alive on its home soil I don't think the plan is to lose a ton of money with games...
KoFXIV has probably been in dev. for some time now, according to rumors. SNK was hiring a few months back (on that title). They may have changed gears during that time.
Who knows why they didn't stayed on XIII path ? Maybe it did cost too much. Maybe the talent left. Maybe they want a faster dev cycle. Maybe someone argued that SNK had to get forward or whatever is left will sink with the 2D ship. Maybe it's F2P. Considering how painful and long it was to get a game at the level with the new sprites, not sure just adding 5 or 7 characters (one or two new teams and a boss...) was going to be an efficient process. After all keep in mind we live in an age where Capcom played it safe on funding Street Fighter 5.
