Namco Bandai Entertainment knows what to do, make money from their IP and licenses. The hard part is to convince their investors to put budget on (some) projects.
Those concept arts do not look like Takuji Kawano's work at all.
Also, Passion Republic can not announce the existence of a new Soul Calibur game, only Namco.
Maybe some of you will be interested about this.
https://www.facebook.com/SoulCalibur/photos/a.162667937109880.29590.157579717618702/1133937623316235/?type=3&theater
Tekken franchise sold over 40 million, do you know how much did the Soul Calibur? If yes, then questioning why Bandai Namco invests more on Tekken is absurd.
Not this year. It depends on Bandai's financial schedule, if they have not changed their minds then 2017 (earliest).
Also, Project Soul just started so give them time.