Fan-Favorite Rockman Girls Sing for You in the Final Rockman Unity Wallpaper

The final 30th anniversary commemorative mobile wallpaper from the Rockman Unity app is here. The artist charged with closing things out is none other than Hideki Ishikawa, who is perhaps best known to fans for his work on the Mega Man Legends series. Fans of Mighty No. 9 will also recognize his work for the unused (but still very popular) Call "E" design.

These days, Ishikawa works as a freelancer. He's recently done some designs for toys and provided illustrations for the Pokemon Trading Card Game. It's always good to see his pen go to work on Rockman stuff though. *Clean* Rockman stuff, that is.

You can download this piece in its full resolution here. Be sure to hit up that link if you missed out on any previous 30th anniversary wallpapers, too – they're all there!

Nendoroid Mega Man X & Rabbit Ride Armor Price and Release Date Announced!

We finally have a release date and price for the much anticipated Nendoroid Mega Man X & Rabbit Ride Armor. Both figures are due on June, 2019 – the Nendoroid Mega Man X will be on sale for 4,444 Yen  and the Rabbit Ride Armor for 6,944 Yen. Purchases of Nendoroid Mega Man X from the Goodsmile online shop will include a super neat, bonus hand part from "The Day of Sigma"!

Hit the jump to read the official descriptions and see more images.

Capcom is Happy With Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1+2 Sales

Capcom has released a report on their 2nd quarter earnings for the fiscal year today. Among topics discussed, the company reports that they are pleased with Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1+2's performance:

   

"Mega Man X Legacy Collection, Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 and Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1+2 (for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PC in all threecases) performed well thanks to a dedicated fan base and strong brand capabilities."

During this quarter Capcom profit achieved its highest levels in the company's history due to growth of digital content. Capcom explicitly mentioned Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1+2 contributed to this result.

In the same report Capcom mentioned that Pachislot Rockman Ability machines sold roughly 1,500 thousand units in a weak market environment. Sales are struggling due to the downturn in consumer confidence and dampening investments by the Pachinko/Pachislot hall operators.

All in all, it looks like Mega Man X Legacy Collection has been a success for Capcom. Now we can only hope that Mega Man 11 will turn up with equally good news when the next financial report hits.

Source: Capcom Investor Relations

Mega Man 11 Developers Talk About Unused Combination Forms

Courtesy of my buddy Hayden, here's another translated page from the Rockman 11 Production Note. This one deals with the many unused transformations based on support characters.

Here's the developer's commentary in English:

"In previous titles, Mega Man has combined with Rush. So I suggested a few fresh-looking combinations with the support characters in the game. Eventually the background designer joined in and three of us were working on these designs.

This was still during the earliest point in development when there wasn’t yet a decided look for the game, so there is a range of designs that capture the look of older games and some that are drastically different. There wasn’t an ounce in me that thought the design with Rush’s face slapped on Mega Man’s chest would be chosen."

Could you imagine a game where Mega Man could combine with Beat, Tango, and even Treble? The idea was certainly explored in Mega Man 11's development but, alas, it was merely a spring-board for the final game's Robot Master-based forms. Maybe next time?

Also, look at the bottom row, second on the right. See anything familiar? That form is clearly inspired by a very early, "Super Mega Man" concept. Neat!

Thanks again to Hayden for the translation and Rock Miyabi for the scan!

It's a Bloody Halloween in the New Rockman Unity Wallpapers

We've got to more mobile wallpapers to help close out October. The first is the second to last wallpaper of the month from the Rockman Unity app (left). It's illustrated by Mori Chack, who is best known for the creation of Gloomy Bear.

The second wallpaper comes directly from the Rockman Unity Blog. It's a special Halloween scene created by Mega Man 11 UI Designer Yoriko Yagi full of Metalls, Battons and one of the new enemies from Mega Man 11, the explosive Shimobey.

Download the full resolution here! Drop by next week for the final wallpaper!

Mega Man 11 on Switch is the #5 Top Grossing Game of the Month (Physical, U.S)

Industry tracking firm The NPD Group have released the latest charts for the month of September and, lo and behold, Mega Man 11 on Nintendo Switch came out fairly strong. (Note: despite going on sale in early October, Mega Man 11 was included in the September NPD because it launched right before the NPD cut-off date on October 6th.)

Based on five days of data, physical sales of the Nintendo Switch version launched Mega Man 11 to the #5 spot of top grossing games of the month, right behind The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Super Mario Party. Do note that these charts reflect dollars sold, not number of units sold.

Its worth pointing out that Mega Man 11 did not chart on the top 20 selling games overall. Still, the fact that the physical Nintendo Switch version generated enough revenue to be tracked by The NPD Group is an accomplishment in itself. The last time a Mega Man game tracked on NPD charts was back in 2003 with Mega Man Network Transmission.

Remember, The NPD Group do not track digital sales. It's very likely Mega Man 11 is faring well on the eShop, among other digital storefronts. We don't have any official data on that area, although the Steam version is said to have sold somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 copies.

Overall, I believe the game is doing just fine. Always keep in mind that Mega Man 11 was a smaller budget project for Capcom. The game doesn't need to sell millions of copies to turn a profit. I do imagine, though, that there is a certain number Capom want the game to hit to be considered a success. Let's hope it can get there!

Source: VentureBeat, @MatPiscatella

Rockman Battle & Fighters Translation Project Underway

Eighteen years after its release, you can finally play most of Rockman Battle & Fighters in English. Marc_Max has released an work-in-progress translation patch on ROMhacking.net. It translates ALL in-game dialogue, character interactions, and some menu prompts into English. The only things not translated are Main Menu graphics and the Database. Other than that everything is very much in a legible, playable state.

For the uninitiated, Rockman Battle & Fighters is a bite-sized compilation of Rockman: The Power Battles and Rockman 2: The Power Fighters for the Neo Geo Pocket. And if you've played either of those games, you know what's going on here: all bosses, all the time. It's a very simple, pick-up-and-play boss rush with some excellent sprite work to boot. It's worth checking out.

Grab the translation patch here!

A Different Mega Man Project Was Conceived Before Mega Man 11

The Rockman 11 Production Note features an interview between Mega Man 11 producer Kazuhiro Tsuchiya and Rockman Unity's Ucchi. Among the many topics discussed, Tsuchiya revealed that, initially, Mega Man 11 started out as a wholly different Mega Man project. Although Tsuchiya doesn't divulge any details about what it was, he insists that he still wants to make it.

Tron & Servbots Pay Tribute to the Classic Series in New Rockman Unity Wallpaper

This week's wallpaper from the Rockman Unity app is by Fumikane Shimada, character designer of cult anime Strike Witches and Girls und Panzer. Come back next week for another wallpaper by a famous anime/manga author.

Download the full resolution here!

"Mega Roll" Probably Won't Be Coming to Mega Man 11 (But She Should)

For the past couple weeks the official Rockman Unity Twitter account has been posting little Mega Man 11 tips called "Advice from Dr. Light's Lab". Each tip includes new artwork of Mega Man 11 characters, and this one – "#6: Release the 'Double Gear' Diligently" – features Roll decked out in her very own "Mega Man" gear. Coupled with the prospect of post-launch content, this piece has some fans hopeful that playable Roll DLC is coming. But is it really?

So here's the deal: a cropped version of that image has been making the rounds, and it's missing a key element. The original image has a message to fans that reads, "Roll will not appear like this in-game". Do note that, out of all the Japanese text in that image, this is the only line that's translated in English. I think it's safe to say Capcom really want you to keep your expectations in check here. That's my interpretation, at least.

Regardless of this image's intent, I think we can all agree it's time for Roll to be playable again. She was last playable in the Japanese-only Rockman 1 mobile port and before that, Mega Man Powered Up. If Mega Man 11 DLC really is on the burner (it could be) would Capcom really pass on the opportunity?

Source: Rockman Unity

Flash Man Medley by Keiichi Okabe Revealed for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Today's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate music reveal is a brand-new Flash Man medley by the great Keiichi Okabe, the composer behind Nier and Nier: Automata. Do your ears a favor and check out the sample above – it's magnificent!

Thanks for the tip, Nitomatta!

Rumor: 8ing Might Be Working on Additional Mega Man 11 Content

If a recent listing on the Steam Database is to be taken at face value, more Mega Man 11 could be on the way. On October 10th, Mega Man 11's Steam Database page saw the addition of a post-release branch titled "8ing".

According to speculation, the branch name is a direct reference to 8ing – the Japanese video game developer who worked with Capcom on Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. The existence of the 8ing branch suggests Capcom have outsourced, or are collaborating with 8ing to develop future Mega Man 11 content. To date, 8ing have not worked directly on any Mega Man game.

Beyond the "Wily Numbers Instrumental Tracks" pre-order DLC, no additional Mega Man 11 content has been announced by Capcom. However, it's worth pointing out that the game does check for DLC upon boot-up. So if additional content is planned/currently in the works, Mega Man 11 is already primed and ready for it.

So hopefully this will amount to something. I mean hey, I know I could go for some DLC. (second playable character, please) I'll keep you posted either way. Thanks to Hanumachine for the tip! 

Mega Man Fully Charged Removed From Cartoon Network's Schedule

When it was first announced that Mega Man Fully Charged would be airing on Cartoon Network, we pretty much unanimously arrived at the same conclusion: CN would inevitably send it out to die. And so here we are... maybe.

Mega Man 11 Official Character Relation Chart Translated

By way of Skycompass, here's a scanlation of the official Mega Man 11 character relation chart from the Rockman 11 Production Note. There's some fun little details going on here, like Impact Man is a regular reader of Blast Man's "Boom Boom Monthly" magazine column. Also, just in case the game itself didn't make it apparent enough, yes; Cossack Robot Laboratories did indeed produce Tundra Man.

Several other scans from the Production Note have started to appear online, too. You might want to follow Rock Miyabi and see what's up.

Thanks, Sky!

New Rockman Unity Mobile Wallpaper

Continuing with the five-part wallpaper tribute to the franchise, the latest wallpaper from the Rockman Unity app comes to us from Koji Yokoi, artist and designer of the SD Gundam series. Cute, no?

Download the full resolution here!

Rockman 11 Production Note Preview Pages

The Rockman 11 Production Note is a 64-page booklet that's currently going for hundreds of dollars on the auction block. Included as part of the now-sold-out Rockman 11 Complete Edition package (also previously sold individually via e-Capcom), the book features a wealth of concept art, unused ideas, tribute art, developer commentary, and other fun little extras.

So to keep your appetite whet until you have your very own copy (or, you know, scans), here's a whole bunch of preview pages for you to ogle at. Check 'em out after the break!

Mega Man 11 Debuts at #4 and #7 in Japanese Sales (Physical Only)

The latest Media Create charts are out (Oct. 1 through Oct. 7th) and it looks like Mega Man 11 is off to a lukewarm start in Japan.

Based on three days of data (remember, the game launched in Japan on Oct. 4), the Nintendo Switch version debuted at #4 with 14,650 units followed by the PlayStation 4 version at #7 at 12,052 units. Together that's 26,702 units.

As a reminder, Media Create only only tracks physical games sold in-store retail. We do not have any concrete data on digital sales at this time. If early indicators are to be believed, however, the game looks to be doing better on the eShop and Steam. 

Time will tell!

Source: Gematsu

Another Early Rockman X2 Prototype Has Been Released

Back in July I dropped a sample version of Rockman X2, which featured a lot of interesting differences from the finished game. And today we've got another, even older X2 prototype for you to check out!

Procured by Revenant, GoldS, and C. Davis, this early prototype contains differences in practically every aspect – graphics, sound, debug features, etc. I would say the most significant differences are a sunken ship in Bubble Crab's stage, a completely different background in Wheel Gator's stage, and totally different stage and background titles in X-Hunter Base 3. Head to the Cutting Room Floor wiki for a complete breakdown on all of the differences.

You can download the prototype from the Cutting Room Floor as well. You won't find this one in the usual place this time. Enjoy, folks!

Mega Man 11's Missing "Star Force" Costume Explained

The mystery of Mega Man 11's unused Mega Man Star Force costume, which was first seen in the pages of Game Informer's January 2018 issue, has at last been solved. According to developer commentary featured in the Rockman 11 Production Note book, the costume was indeed created as a placeholder for Tundra Storm.

They write, "When there was still no design for the Tundra Man weapon, Mr. Ueda created a Shooting Star style [Star Force] model as a place holder during development. It seems the magazine journalist that came took a photo of it... Sorry for confusing fans. We blame Ueda."

And there you have it. Sadly it doesn't look like there are any plans for the costume to be distributed as DLC or anything like that. But hey, maybe next time? I always thought the idea of being able to, say, purchase costumes based on different Mega Men from Dr. Light's lab kinda enticing. I mean, that's what I initially hoped what was going on here.

Ah well. Blame Mr. Ueda.

(Thanks to 4am_sandlake for the image and Hayden for the translation!)

Celebrate Rockman 11's Launch With New Mobile Wallpapers

What better way to celebrate the launch of Rockman 11 than a set of brand-new mobile wallpapers?

The first two come to us from the Rockman Unity app. One is pretty straight forward, just the main art for Rockman 11; the second one, however, is a bit more unique. It's an illustration from Yusuke Murata. (One Punch Man, Eyeshield 21 and designer of Dust Man and Crystal Man) The last two wallpapers come directly from the Rockman Unity twitter account and they are the work of Yūji Ishihara, character designer and art director of Rockman 11. Download all of 'em from here.

Stay tuned for more wallpapers during this month!

Mega Man Live-Action Film is Moving Forward

20th Century Fox's live-action Mega Man film (you didn't forget about it, did you?) is indeed very much alive. Tonight, Capcom reconfirmed that development on the film is moving forward. Tentatively titled "MEGA MAN", the film will be written and directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, and is scheduled to be produced by Chernin Entertainment (Planet of the Apes series).

Full press release after the jump!

Mega Man 11 Is Finally Here!

Eight years and four cancelled games later, Mega Man 11 is finally here. It's crazy, isn't it? To think that this all started with a small, seemingly innocent teaser in Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 a little over a year ago. Holy moly.

What's remarkable about all of this is how the game couldn't have existed without you, nor the unwavering passion from producer Kazuhiro Tsuchiya and director Koji Oda. A franchise seemingly abandoned and left for dead survived. Powered by the hopes of "seeing Mega Man again", the wishes of fans and Capcom staff alike have come to fruition. And you know what? Those same wishes just might lead to even more great things.

Whether you're playing on a PlayStation 4 or on-the-go via Switch, I sincerely hope you enjoy Mega Man 11. It's a solid entry in the classic series and a worthy revival of of old blue boy. Get out there, fight the good fight, and have fun!

Thank you, everyone. We did it together!

Mega Man 11 Review – The Prodigal Son Returns

Eight years after the release of Mega Man 10, Capcom has resurrected the Blue Bomber from his proverbial grave for a brand-new, satisfying adventure that, at its core, is a welcome return to form. This is Mega Man 11.