Mega Man’s development story remains one of gaming’s biggest tragedies. In the middle of struggling to craft entries for the PS3 and Xbox 360, Keiji Inafune left Capcom at the end of 2010 and almost sounded the death knell for the franchise. NeitherMega Mannor its various spin-off series have had consistent releases since then, and the last new consoleMega Mantitle was 2018’sMega Man 11. WithLegacy Collections continuing to release for all ofMega Man’s major subseries, the franchise is not dead, but it isn’t doing much beyond spinning its wheels.
FollowingMega Man’s 35th anniversary on December 17, it’s hard to say where the future lies. TheMega Man X Divemobile title is still chugging along, and aparticularly high-effortMega Man Battle Network Legacy Collectionis due out in early 2023. There is room for a few moreLegacy Collections focusing onStar Forceand some side games like theLegendstitles, but that’s just conjecture for now.Mega Man’s 35th anniversary has arrived with far less fanfare than many other classic gaming franchises, and Capcom should fix that as soon as it can.
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Mega Man’s 35th Anniversary Looks Barren
TheMega Manfranchise has a history of celebrating its major anniversaries. While theMega Man Anniversary Collectionfrom 2004 doesn’t coincide with any notable dates, later titles like 2006’sMega Man Powered Upcould have easily been pushed another year and framed as an anniversary game, celebrating the franchise’s origins. Onecould consider 2008’sMega Man 9, the Inti Creates revival of the originalMega Man, to have been released in its 20th anniversary. The elevated fan gameStreet Fighter X Mega Mancame out onMega Man’s 25th birthday, andMega Man Legacy Collection 2was a few months short of its 30th.
All of this, combined with the ongoingLegacy Collections, communicates that Capcom is not afraid of celebratingMega Man’s status and age. Even so, Capcom has only revealed a logo and some merchandise forMega Man’s 35th anniversary. This is comparable to things like Nintendo’s own slew of 30th and 35th anniversaries, including forThe Legend of Zelda.The lack of new games duringZelda’s anniversaries andTears of the Kingdom’s delay into 2022 may be a result of the COVID pandemic, and the same could be said ofMega Man. Neither fans nor Capcom should settle with merchandise alone, however.
A New Mega Man Announcement Could Make the 35th Anniversary
Plenty of rumors appeared over the past few years regarding the existence of moreMega Mangames. WithMega Man 11being the most financially successful title in the franchise, there’s clear motives for Capcom to keep the ball rolling - the only uncertainties are how and when that continuation will manifest. WhileLegacy Collections have keptMega Manalive, a true sequel to one of his various franchises is necessary for him to thrive. Many suspect thatMega Man Xmay be the next part of the franchise to get a new installment, but it has been long enough sinceMega Man 11that aMega Man 12could also be announced.
Attentive fans have unearthed some genuine evidence of a newMega Manon its way. Domains forMega Man 12,Mega Man 13,Mega Man 14, andMega Man 15were all registered in 2018, but were updated earlier in 2022. This suggests that Capcom intends to keep the classic series going, and that an announcement of one or more of these titles could be just around the corner. While it seems like news has missedMega Man’s 35th birthday, the ensuing year is still rife with opportunities toreveal a brand-newMega Mangame. Hopefully, with all the pieces in place, Capcom doesn’t miss the chance to returnMega Manto his former glory.
