Recently, there's been some Mega Man chit-chat between fans and Capcom on the latest Ask Capcom Live installment. With Street Fighter's 25th anniversary celebration in the pipeline, it's only natural to wonder what might become of the Blue Bomber's festivities. Christian Svensson stepped in to provide some insight.
“We are continuing to noodle what our plans and what our celebration should be,” says Svensson. “There’s a whole bunch of things that we know we kind of have to get in a row before we actually really divulge or start to celebrate Mega Man.”
Several minutes later, Svensson fielded an inquiry regarding Mega Man's foreseeable future and whether or not fans have something to look forward to. Svensson, once again, drew the "top men" card.
“I hesitate to say exactly what, because I don’t want people reading more into it than is there,” Svensson shares. “Let’s just say there are top men thinking about and actively discussing where we’re going to take the brand for the next ten years and how we’re going to do it.”
I understand that this is not an actual announcement, but it gives further affirmation that the company is prioritizing the franchise's longterm roadmap. It's simply a matter of time when we will see these plans materialize.
For many, it's going to be difficult to put one's faith in these ominous "top men."
The franchise's future, the next decade, rests in their hands. It's a pretty scary thought; more so when you reflect upon some of Capcom's recent, less popular decisions. Aside from voicing our opinions to the powers that be, there isn't too much we can do at this time to get the ball rolling in the right, and desired, direction.
For the full Q&A, be sure to head on over to Capcom Unity, where you'll find an archived version of the show in its entirety.
Source: Siliconera
Keep expectations muted. A 10 year plan sounds like an exciting prospect, unless it turns out that most of the good stuff is happening on the latter end of the spectrum instead.
ReplyDeletePlus I seriously doubt that there really are any realistic plans that actually stretch across that time period. 10 years is like two whole platform generations right there.
I'd be inclined to think that Capcom doesn't have a very good track record when it comes to planning for anything beyond 3 years.
“I don’t want people reading more into it than is there”
ReplyDeleteThat bit makes me think that there isn't really anything worth getting excited about being planned...
I hope I'm wrong.
In before complaints. =P
ReplyDeleteBut I'm about as skeptical as the next guy, so.
I want to be optimistic, I swear I do. This last year has just left me terribly jaded. We'll see, Capcom. Even if you are leaving Mega Man's fate up to Top Man. Er, top men.
ReplyDeleteWell that pretty much ruins any chance of anything for the 25th anniversary if they're still debating what to do with the franchise.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about leaving this in the hands of Top Men... their power's jut too... variable. Just really not reliable, you know?
ReplyDeleteAt least we have Brett bugging the ever loving crap outta Sven about Mega Man everyday. One champion is enough to keep me hopeful.
ReplyDeleteThe way this is worded makes me fearful there is nothing on the horizon for Mega's anniversary. Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteIf this were two years ago, I'd probably be far more optimistic than I am now, but lately, they haven't given me a reason to be.
ReplyDeletehttp://whtmtm.ytmnd.com/
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I just have to post this.
Kiwi, that made me smile more than it probably should have.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest hurdle Capcom needs to sort out is the fact that no matter what they put out, it will never make up for Mega Man Legends 3, and the fans WILL vocalize that displeasure.
I imagine that's their biggest roadblock right now. The worst rep in the history of Gaming companies.
January is almost over and they haven't even announced any concrete plans for Mega Man's 25th anniversary yet. I have a feeling very little is going to happen.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I'm hoping for the best, expecting the worst; that way, should anything less than the finest for the 25th appears, I wouldn’t be as crushed as say, Legends 3. So yeah. I want a new game, but not an 8-bit one. An HD remake? Yes please! A bridge between Classic and X/X and Zero/Zero and ZX/ZX and Legends? Hell yeah. But just not an 8-bit game. Please.
ReplyDeleteI remember how the PS3 was planned to have a 10-year plan.
ReplyDeleteChances are we'll get a PS4 in the next year or two. Funny how that works, huh? A truly trusted company cant follow through with a plan they made, And clearly capcom, a company that's proven themselves to not know what they are doing several times over, are.
My feelings are summarized by Axem White.
Sven doesn't seem to be saying: "We have a 10 year plan". He doesn't even seem to be saying: "We want to form a 10 year plan". What he seems to be saying is: "People upstairs are still having out about what direction to take any thing blue and cyan in the imminent and intermediate future. Which could give way to lean towards some kind of longterm goal for all such blue and cyan things.".
ReplyDeleteThat's hardly the same intent you seem to be taking it as Protodude. You seem to think it's reading like "Capcom teases the imminent timelining of a Mega Man multiseries production plan spanning forty business quarters chaired by multiple copies of DWN021."
I bet thet're preparing a new series with Bad Box Art Megaman. Because that's totally what people want, to see his ugly-ass face more and more times, right?
ReplyDeleteHmmm... I really hope there is something, ANYTHING, that happens for our blue dude's 25th anniversary. However, this and similar messages worry me about the fate of Mega Man. By the way,(I hope this isn't a dumb question) where can that picture be found? It seems to be from around the release of X4/MM8/MM Legends.
ReplyDeleteUniverse and Legends 3 aren't going to be revived, we just had a classic installment, I can't see another X game in the future, the Zero, Battle Network and Star Force series have concluded. That leaves only ZX, which is almost as bad as Legends and X in terms of being put on hold with a cliffhanger.
ReplyDeleteWell, Inafune did say that he was considering doing X9 for PSP but did MHX instead. Maybe it'll pop up on the Vita or 3DS. Hopefully the latter, because there's not much to get the Vita for and I don't want to blow $250 again. Like I did with the 3DS, since Legends 3 got canceled and that was the reason I got one. Anyway, I hope they do a LOT of 3DS stuff because I'm pretty mad.
@Flame
ReplyDeleteWhy would i, or any rational person, base my purchasing decision on the fact that they canceled one game?
Let's no forget Crapcom supports the internet desroying US bill the SOPA. It's dead for now, but if that thing really passes, we can kiss this blog good bye. So if you live in the US, tell your congressman to oppose SOPA.
ReplyDeleteI really hope that they plan on doing something with the Network timeline, as I really loved the Battle Network and Starforce games...
ReplyDeleteAs Sven pointed out, the 25th anniversary may fall on Dec this year, but its in Dec. They even said when things happen they will start towards the end of this year, and continue into the next year. Get a grip guys, getting things into motion after having to cancel all other projects involving megaman is not easy. They can't magic things into existence. Game development takes time, and right now they are developing a lot of other projects, should they cancel those to please us? There are other fans of capcom besides us y'know.
ReplyDeleteSo they've decided to call "nothing" a "10 year plan" now? Joy.
ReplyDeleteeverytime svensson or any capcom USA staff speak about the Megaman franchise, I know that there will be no hope
ReplyDeleteI want megaman news from capcom or even Inafune
what does Capcom usa or capcom europe can do ? NOTHING
WE WANT NEWS FROM JAPAN
Well, I just wish this decade of games and plans and such started like, 5 years ago. All I can say is, well, do it to it, Capcom.
ReplyDeleteSven's saying they're considering what their anniversary plan SHOULD be? ON the actual anniversary year? Games don't get made in 1 year. If they're only thinking about what they're going to do at this stage, how can we expect the anniversary to include a game?
ReplyDeletePrevious MM anniversaries have not been amazing. I hoped the 25th would be different, but my expectations are bottom right now.
Not entirely sure what to make of this. If they're actually kicking around plans for it they might make SOMEthing (a new game seems unlikely, but maybe a collection of sidegames or perhaps an artbook), and in my opinion anything would be nice at this point. Gotta take what you can get, you know?
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, they could kick around plans and then decide to do absolutely nothing. We'll just have to wait and see.
@turianX9: Well, see...latter half of 2011. I can't blame anyone for being on edge.
ReplyDeleteI know it won't be easy bouncing back from that disaster, but it's been some time now, and they don't even have a plan. Even if that's realistic, it REALLY doesn't sound good.
@ Role
ReplyDeleteI see what you did there. :)
Welp, someone already made the obvious Topman joke, so I'll just say... whatever will be, will be.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous: Capcom USA and Capcom Europe localizes games. Without them, all games made by Capcom would probably be Asian-exclusives. So there's that.
ReplyDeleteThing is, in regards to MM, there's nothing for them to localize. So we can really only blame Capcom of Japan at this point.
Seriously. CoA and CoE gets enough crap as it is, I hardly ever see CoJ getting the blame. They're the ones who cancelled MMU and L3, they're the ones who claims that MM is unpopular in the west, they're the ones who are having a fighting game development fetish.
10 year plan in Capcoms mind: Create a single new iteration, milk the shit out of it, then create a spinoff of that iteration when interest dies out.
ReplyDeleteYou know I'm right.
High-budget entry to every series! I am waiting.
ReplyDelete@Dr. JerK: Not that I'm saying it's right to blame CoA/CoE (though I can't remember if CoE ever properly apologized for playing the blame game), but...as far as we know, CoJ isn't saying one goddamned word. At least, not directly.
ReplyDeleteY'know, I find it funny that Sven tries to re-assure us about Megaman's future while referencing the "top men" line from Raiders of the Lost Ark as that's a positive thing.
ReplyDeleteY'know, considering that the character who said that line was a lying bureacrat and all.
Mega Man 11 with the PC DOS games graphics!
ReplyDeletehttp://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CapcomSequelStagnation
just what we don't need, another spin off mm series. I really hope they focus on the classic or x series eventually and actually make a real game and not a lazy effort like mm 9 and 10.
ReplyDeletebut hell, this is capcom were talking about. they are more focused on endless fighting game variations then anything else so don't be too optimistic about whatever they do because they seem to have all but abandoned megaman in general.
@RADIX: Aren't you just supporting what I basically said?
ReplyDelete@Dr. Jerk: ...*thunk*
ReplyDeleteI need to learn how to read.
@Anon who replied to Flame
ReplyDeleteIt's not about the game itself being canceled, it's /how/ it was canceled. Which, in short, Was an overcomplicated pile of broken promises and golden shit.
The 10-year plan? How to get fans even more pissed off than the cancellation of Mega Man Legends 3!
ReplyDeletePLAN: Continually taunt the public with the aborted Mega Man Legends 3, blaming the fans for not creating the game from the ground up on their own and getting shut down in the process.
ReplyDeleteContinue the Street Fighter II tradition of spitting out incremental "improvements" to games as full price separate titles.
Alternate as needed.
I believe the plan involves how to be more like SquareEnix. The accountants and investors are in charge of the company not the producers. They keep releasing more of the same in terms of everything they put out. We don't need 10 different versions of SF. Megaman is gonna crash and burn and no one is gonna be able to do anything about it. Since anything MM related only appears in other Capcom games I don't expect much from these top men other than bean counting.
ReplyDelete