Monday, November 17, 2008

What Happens Next?

An uncertain future lies ahead for Rockman.

Rockman 9 has finally come, leaving a trail of rampant acclaim and financial success. Shooting Star Rockman 3 released with less than stellar sales and a story that implies the end of the series.

Just where will Capcom take the franchise from here? For the first time in a very long time, we have no clue as to what comes next.

Undoubtedly, we will most likely see a Rockman 10 or a new game from an elder series, but how? In what shape or form? Downloadable? Disc based? 8-bit? 16-bit? HD?

SSR3's release implies the fall of the "hobby style" Rockman games; the financial backbone of the franchise since 2001. Without the annual hobby games and subsequent merchandise, just how well will the franchise perform?

What happens next?

As I see it, Capcom has been playing a game of basketball with us.

For years, Capcom wooed the crowd (the Rockman fans) with repetitious techniques to score. But after years of seeing the same plays over and over again, the crowd eventually stopped cheering. Boredom had settled in. They grew tired of seeing the same thing over and over.

^This basketball game represent our growing boredom of the hobby style games: After being served the same game for seven years, we have grown bored and boy, does it ever show.

Back to the basketball metaphor, Capcom takes note of the crowd's growing boredom. What do they do? How can they win the crowd back over? Taking a risk, they try out a new play. Capcom shoots....they score. The crowd goes wild.

^This is what happened with Rockman 9: Capcom took a risk and released an 8-bit styled game in a "next gen" era receiving unexpected acclaim and praise. Their risk paid off.

With the ball in their court once again, they face the question: "what can we do next?"

Will they repeat that previous risky play to win us over, knowing that we may eventually grow bored of it? (8-bit/retro styled rehashes)

How about a new play? Something we've never see before? (a new series)

Or will they revive an old play that hasn't been seen in many years? (revival of older series)

The ball's in your court Capcom. We're eager to see what you have in store for us next.


  1. Meh, give SSR3 some time, they did say they weren't gonna end the series just yet. I hope its sales pick up, we have a major problem with rom downloaders, money issues in Japan, as well as money issues here since some of us in other countries have to pay a lot more for the game now if we want to import it, there is also reviews in Japan which; unfortunately are becoming like reviews here; B.S. and only pointing out the negative things.

  2. Legends 3 = SLAM DUNK!

  3. What's next? DASH 3. In my opinion. Take the risk again. ;) Anyway, I love NES MegaMan *that* way, and new releases would be welcome, but I though it won't be like 9.

  4. As much as I wouldn't like to see it die (SSR RockMan seems to be my favorite RockMan version), SSR does seem to lose steam. As much as I would like to blame the condition of the world's economy for the drop in sales since the first entry, I can't turn a blind eye on the possibility that the hobby style game has been dying (Review scores and sales dropping) since EXE 4. (Even I stopped caring after EXE3 but SSR somehow brought the interest back.)

    I'm very interested to see what Capcom will do next for RockMan. Another ZX entry? I hope so. Or a new Legends? Hopefully. I don't want to see the hobby style Rockman games die off, but if it's inevitable...Well, I'll gladly support it to its last breath with SSR3 if it is the last in the series.

  5. I was thinking the same thing a while ago, and seeing as Mega Mans gonna be legal drinking age this December, I believe we'll see something new. They should make a series, ditch the new stuff we have now, and do what MM9 did, go back to the style we all love, and make a new series. Something like the Classic and X series.

  6. Hmm... if they have time, whenever, I will look forward to next two sequels, Megaman X9 and Megaman X Command Mission 2.

    Capcom... please don't let us down...

  7. Phmeh. If all they make is side-scroller shoot 'em-ups, I don't want them. :P I mean, sure, they're fun, but...

    Meh. :\

  8. Winduh : He can drink all alcool he wants here in Canada :P

    but anyway, if SSR3 is the last one, I'll be very very very happy !

    The virtual console is the next step for MegaMan :

    Megaman 4
    Megaman 5
    Megaman 6
    Megaman 7
    Megaman & Bass (snes version)
    Megaman Soccer
    Megaman the Wily Wars (I WANT IT)
    Rockboard ( english version)
    Megaman X
    Megaman X2
    Megaman X3
    Megaman Legends (YESSSSS) (Megaman 64)

  9. A MegaMan X9 with 16 bit SNES graphics. C'mon Capcom. MegaMan 10 is too soon.

  10. I say it's time to Re-launch the series. Take all the best ideas from each incarnation of Megaman and start over from scratch with a renewed focus on quality, continuity, and innovation.

    I hate to say it but for the most part the current Megaman franchises have been played out. Megaman X is a dead horse, Zero is a finished story, ZX is a financial black hole, .EXE and SSR are the exact same thing ten times over and people have begun to lose interest, and Legends has become a pipe dream.

    We're at the point where future games may sully the memory of Rockman's past glory unless Capcom tries something new.

  11. Colin : you're right know.. I don't want a new series like SSR and I'm tired playing megaman games on portable console

    I want a full 3D big budget action anime/manga style rockman game (not a f*** rpg and not games like X7, X8) or I want 2-D rockman games on VC/XBL/PSN

    or maybe a Rockoidvania game :P

  12. Give us our Rockman ZX 3, Capcom! Oh, and a new 3D game too. Could be DASH/Legends, or maybe a new game. Whatever as long as it's got loads of action. Like... Devil May Cry action. Amirite?

  13. X9
    With Playstation era graphics please. I've never liked very much the graphics of the SNES games.

    Realistic thinking, I'm expecting a Legends 3 and maybe a Command Mission 2 to be the "surprises"/risks.
    Most problable, for me, are a SSR4 and maybe a ZX3..

  14. Two new DS series' for the DSI gen?

    I'd like to see them mix it up this time. Maybe make the children's hobby title a side scroller(I still believe Starforce would've been a better platformer than ZX) and make the serious, moody series an RPG.

    I hate to say it, but Capcom's strategy is somewhat silly. They make Starforce, aim it a Japanese school kids(the smallest market) and are disappointed when EVERYONE IN THE WORLD doesn't buy it. Look at MM9, no cultural "aiming" here, just a fun game, and it did great!

    I'm not one of the "Legends 3 will make it all better" people, in fact, I could care less about that series. Just make another series of fun, challenging games.

