Sunday, June 13, 2021

"Rockman XZ: Time Rift" in Development for Mobile (Update)


Well this just... completely flew under everyone's radar. 

An officially-licensed Rockman game titled "Rockman XZ: Time Rift" is reportedly in development at NebulaJoy (aka Yunchang Games). The company quietly announced the title's production on September 4th, 2020. The news coincided with confirmation that Tencent became NebulaJoy's second-largest shareholder. 

NebulaJoy are no stranger to working with Capcom's portfolio. They recently completed development on Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat for iOS and Android. Rockman XZ: Time Rift is poised to become the company's second licensed Capcom title. 

Beyond the above logo, no other information about Rockman XZ: Time Rift was shared. We genuinely have no idea what it is nor has there been ANY update since that September 4th announcement. But, hey, it's worth pointing out that the game's logo is super interesting. It incorporates BOTH the X series "X" and the Zero series "Z". Are we looking at a possible X/Zero series crossover/tie-in? The whole "Time Rift" subtitle seems pretty on the nose, too.

So yeah. Eight months later and this... kinda came out of left field and went. Pending further information, it is VERY difficult to say if Time Rift remains in active development, delayed or cancelled. We'll be keeping an ear to the ground, though.

UPDATE: According to a late December 2020 post, Rockman XZ: Time Rift will be formally revealed sometime this year. It's anticipated to launch in China close to or alongside a licensed Batman mobile title. Additionally, NebulaJoy recently posted positions for designers and planners with experience in "horizontal action games". These posting aren't outright for XZ Time Rift, but it's easy to assume so.

Source: NebulaJoy

68 comments:

  1. Wow, this can't be a coincidence. I was literally thinking about the fanart of Leviathion meeting X-Series Zero & Iris meeting Zero-Series Zero this morning and thought 'I wonder what would happen if Ciel meet X & Zero from 21XX". It just can't be a random coincidence this was announced the same day as this thought came up.

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  2. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E14JKcyTe7s

    YES! YEEEEES! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSS!!!!

    MOBILE GAME OR NOT ITS BASICALLY ZX3, AND I WILL, NO I MUST PLAY IT!

    (frieza: ho ho ho, what an unexpected thrill)

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    Replies
    1. ZX3? sorry, but it's a licensed game. This goes in the bucket with the DOS games and Challengers from the future.

      it could be good though, but definitely won't be ZX3. we need inti creates to license ZX.

      Delete
    2. Edit i read it as zx not xz lol but i still have the same reaction especialky since i LOVE the Zero series (and X series too).

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    3. "ZX3? sorry, but it's a licensed game. This goes in the bucket with the DOS games and Challengers from the future."

      Also the same bucket as MM9, MM10, the entire Zero series, the entire Game Boy line, Wily Wars, etc.

      I mean Mega Man games have been getting developed by outside studios since the early 90s. It doesn't make them any less official. I do agree with your sentiments though that a full-fledged console release is what we truly need, but given ZXA's sales numbers I just don't see Capcom green-lighting the budget for it.

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    4. Let's wait and see which category it falls in... Capcom themselves have said nothing about it, so it's more likely the category of the DOS games.

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    5. I feel like putting the DOS series on par with any other Mega Man game is a huge spit in the face to the developers.

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    6. @Tiny Proto

      AGREED

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    7. @Joe the MMZ ZX serie etc (one made mainly of Mega man alumni to begin with) where merely developed by other studio but belongs to the canon, unlike others licensed games like so it's not the same bucket.
      We don't know which one this game will fall into, but i at least don't expect it to Canon.

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    8. it's a licensed game, different from the mainline series games developed by other developers.

      a licensed game is where a publisher approaches capcom and pays them for the license to make a mega man game. This is how the DOS games and challengers from the future came to be. That's why they're so bad too, capcom really doesn't care about them.

      meanwhile, games like ZX, CAPCOM wants to publish a new game, and hires an outsider developer to make the game for them. capcom has a lot more control over that kind of game and will throw its own resources behind it.

      Delete
    9. Merp. You've got me a bit nervous, Erik.

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    10. Why are you nervous? I myself don't think this'll be anything like the DOS or Xover, infact I do believe that this game may be the best Mega Man mobile game... OF ALL TIME! (hehehe)

      Delete
    11. Xover wassn't licenced...

      But really, looking at their mobile version of devil may cry, it looks like they do a decent job of mobile games. It'll probably be a decent enough mega man Z style game. But, because it's a mobile game, and needs monitization, it'll probably be more like Zero 1 with weapon grinding, but crank that up to 11.

      Looking at reviews of the devil may cry game, the game seems to be like any other devil may cry game. you have lootboxes, and an arbitrary currency required in tandem with the red orb things to upgrade skills and weapons. The currency is rare and appears more on harder difficulties, so it's a grind. the kind of grind we mega man fans are used to anyway.

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    12. I mentioned Xover cause its a Mobile Game. (HerpaDerp)

      Also Zero 1's grinding system wasn't too bad in my opinion, now i still disliked it, and Zero 2's version was WAY better, but grinding systems in mobile games are rather common, however sometimes (like in Dragon Ball legends) it was pretty decent or even easy, but we will just have to wait and see, I suppose.

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  3. I almost died of excitement when I saw the logo because I thought it was for a new ZX game. Then I saw it was a mobile game and immediately lost interest. Too bad. I really want ZX3.

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  4. "Tencent"
    It's time to jump ship. Although that devil may cry game looks fine it's still Tencent.

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  5. If it's called time-rift i supose time travel is involved.

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  6. Not a switch game, but it beats having to wait till 2022 for a new Mega Man game.

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  7. "for mobile"

    Textbook case of "They had us in the first half, not gonna lie."

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  8. This mobile phone gaming trend is becoming tiresome. Use that time rift, find who ever came up with this trend, and smack em silly.

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    Replies
    1. I don't play mobile games, but there's a market for it, so it's only logical that companies tries to profit from it. That's their job.

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    2. No, their job is to please the fans and keep them satisfied by offering them goodies (games) once in a while to keep them hooked on the brand. Then using the fanbase, they can do expansions like, for example, mobile games. that's their job. Without us, Mega Man is long dead

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    3. Their job is to turns a profit. Not a pleasant truth but that's one nonetheless. They're not running a charity.
      And like others have pointed whether there's a mobile game in the side does not change what's going on with the mainline games. They're not even developed by the same peoples.
      And there's no requirement to do one before the other or wathever. Decisions on one front and the other are probably handled by different branches of Capcom to begin with.
      So yeah, if there is a market for mobile games, Capcom will start using it's brand to make mobile games. Whether it's DmC, Street, Teppen or Mega Man.

      Delete
    4. Making a profit and pleasing the fans are one and the same. Piss off the fans, your franchise DIES. Marketing 101 that too many companies ignore nowadays. To their peril.

      Making content the fans don't ask for pisses them off. Not just once or twice, that's forgivable. But constantly. Every single announcement is another "Here's another thing no one asked for".

      I work in business. I am no stranger to it. But I see nothing happening in the brand that is making it stronger. I see only things that are continuing what got us to this point.

      edit:
      Posted in wrong place last time

      Delete
    5. they're not exactly one in the same. as EA has shown, making a profit and pissing everyone off can easily go hand in hand.

      now, pleasing the fans will keep the fanchise afloat, but the franchise is not needed for profit. They could just make brand new games not related to a franchise after all. But there is security in a franchise and it's fans.

      Now, Capcom, like many big publishers, are beholden to invenstors. Investors don't care about maintaining a franchise nor pleasing fans. investors just want their stock value to perpetually increase, and they are most concerned with it increasing as much as possible right now.

      This leads to a business that doesn't care about fans, and wants to make the video game equivalent of pop music. games that can appeal to the lowest common denominator can sell the most copies, and put in whatever gimmicks you can to milk more money from the consumer, because that stock price needs to go up.

      The investors don't have to worry about the future of the company either, because when things start going south, they sell off their shares and invest and destroy another company for profit.

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    6. Mega Man/Capcom is not EA. Mega Man is a niche franchise. It's not Battlefied. Or Apex Legends. Your fans absolutely matter. That relationship is strained, to say the least.

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    7. Its funny really, i make a comment talking about how excited i am for something X and Zero series related and now there is some random debate in the replies.

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    8. @Anonymous 7:41, no one is debating your excitement. Which, I am guessing is a separate comment unrelated above my post in this reply chain (which is in grey)
      No one said anything positive about X/Zero replying to me...
      Welcome to the chaos that is the internet. Where a billion people can all be wrong at the same time.

      Delete
    9. What i meant was that i thought it was funny how i make a post about something and people start having a debate in the replies about something (that seems) unrelated to what i was talking about, but thats on me i worded my comment kinda weird (tldr PINGAS)

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    10. yeah, mega man is like ghost and goblins, breathe of fire, and darkstalkers, except it's kinda a mascot. Capcom doesn't need the fans because they really don't need mega man. he's just kinda there, and might just end up in mobile hell with breath of fire.

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    11. I guess many fans these days have low enough standards to get off on mobile as if they don't know what MM was really like in the day, but probably many of us here remember the days when there were console releases fairly often that were decent quality, for the big screen, and using a gamepad (for the Zero series, I just used the Gameboy player for the gamecube at the time). The way MM should be played, then they started getting cheap with small screens and lack of gamepads, though MM had GB releases back then, it wasn't the main thing (I never played the 5 classic MM games for the original GB to be honest, just on NES and beyond). I'm happy Legends 3 did not make it to a puny DS. Worse yet would be mobile. Making it for steam + consoles is the way it needs to be, and more main timeline sequels vs being cheap. Hopefully they have not forgotten about the main timelines series games all because it was another generation who played it back then. A generation I was part of that many here may also be part of (a kid playing the games in the early 90s and beyond and MM was still young, though I prefer the X games more than classic).

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    12. @Gary Daniel
      Yeah, I have been with the franchise since Mega Man III first came out. I missed the first two. Rented the 3rd at my local rental shop. Been a fan ever since. I want to rant, so bad. But no one will change my mind. So whatever.

      @Anonymous 11:57, Again, what are you even talking about? Whatever post your referring to is NOT CONNECTED to this comment chain. It's posted under this ARTICLE. Not this COMMENT CHAIN. This Comment Chain started with shrap June 14, 2021 at 7:38 AM

      I don't know which of the plethora of Anonymous you are who posted under this article, nor do I care, so until you put a name to it I'm not even going to bother worrying about what your referring to. But seriously, whatever your talking about isn't linked. At all.

      Delete
    13. unfortunately, mega man isn't all that popular, especially the way the actual fans enjoy. The only choice is to go cheap, or don't make the games at all. the roi isn't worth the budget, when they can just make another resident evil game.

      That's the thing that mega man fans have to come to grips with. Most people don't like mega man, the games generally don't sell all that well, and most of the people who do happen to buy a mega man game doesn't complete the game (based on achievement statistics).

      They make mobile because the casuals who like the characters but don't care much for the games really enjoy them, because even if they're bad at it, they can just pay to win, or just level up until the game becomes easy.

      Delete
    14. @Erik the Red

      You convinced me. Mega Man is dead. Put it in the ground. Why fight anymore?

      Delete
    15. @Shrap anon doesn't seem like english is their first language. it seems to me that they're just amused on how he commented about his excitement, meanwhile others are arguing in other topics.

      he's just amused by the contrast, he even admits himself that it's not directly related to the thread.

      Delete
    16. Oh crap i replied to the wrong comment thread, my bad i meant to reply to a different one, sorry.

      Delete
    17. «This mobile phone gaming trend is becoming tiresome. Use that time rift, find who ever came up with this trend, and smack em silly.»

      This...

      «Mega Man/Capcom is not EA. Mega Man is a niche franchise. It's not Battlefied. Or Apex Legends. Your fans absolutely matter. That relationship is strained, to say the least.»

      This...

      «Making a profit and pleasing the fans are one and the same. Piss off the fans, your franchise DIES. Marketing 101 that too many companies ignore nowadays. To their peril. Making content the fans don't ask for pisses them off. Not just once or twice, that's forgivable. But constantly. Every single announcement is another "Here's another thing no one asked for".I work in business. I am no stranger to it. But I see nothing happening in the brand that is making it stronger. I see only things that are continuing what got us to this point.

      and THIS.

      Thank you

      Delete
    18. I am sorry but i have now realized i was commenting in the wrong chain my apologies.

      (tl;dr I will shut up now, sorry)

      Delete
    19. The collections and MM11 sold well enough to warrant continuing the series, so it is popular enough.

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    20. Also english is my first language i just looked at the wrong thread like an idiot.

      Delete
    21. @AnonymousJune 16, 2021 at 4:36 PM

      No worries. I figured you were new and still trying to figure out how this place works. It was my way of teaching you a little.

      Delete
    22. Thank you my good man!

      Delete
  9. Does Capcom make Mega Man games anymore? I thought 11 was supposed to revitalize the series.

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    Replies
    1. Capcom is working on a game set to release, until further news comes out, in 2022.
      Wathever licensed product happen in the meantime is a different thing altogether.

      Delete
    2. Anon : We don't even know if it's a real 2D game. It's only speculation for now and according to the title, it could still be an "all-star" game.

      11 has officially not revitalize the series, there weren't even any DLCs, and key characters were missing (Forte, Blues...)

      The fans within these companies are no longer important, they are all going into the wall

      Delete
    3. Anon 2:
      First, Mega man isn't the kind of game where they make DLC. And Bass was never required to appear in every games.
      Second: Wathever type of game they are making, they are making one. Just because it is not a numbered sequel have nothing to do with either the serie is revitalized or not.
      (if anything it seems to be a BIGGER project than just fight 8 more robots master)
      And whether we like mobile game or not (I don't), the fact that there is one running and two in development is definitely more activity in the franchise than during the drought before MM11.
      Remember:getting 2 games in the same franchise every year is not the norm, it is the exception (and we all remember how doing that turned out for megaman in the 2000's)

      Delete
    4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    5. I mean, how can you say the mega man isn't the kind of game where they make DLC? the majority of mega man games don't have dlc because they're from before the DLC era. since DLC became entrenched in gaming, 3 mega man games have been released. MM9, MM10 and MM11. both MM9 and 10 not only had DLC, but they had "on disk" dlc.

      Mega man Xover and Xdive are microtransaction sponges.

      the legacy collections have less content than the PS2 era collections, each being split into two games as a cash grab.

      Legends 3 was going to be a paid demo.

      the fact that they're not pushing scummy monitization tactics of any kind on Mega Man 11 is worrisome.

      Delete
    6. «First, Mega man isn't the kind of game where they make DLC. And Bass was never required to appear in every games.» Yes you're right, it's true that 9 and 10 didn't have a DLC ... (man, what a bad argument ...)

      «Second: Wathever type of game they are making, they are making one. Just because it is not a numbered sequel have nothing to do with either the serie is revitalized or not.» Yea like if they do a Rockman Dentist visual novel game, according to you, it would be very legitimate and even interesting. We are not on the same (rockman) planet...

      «And whether we like mobile game or not (I don't), the fact that there is one running and two in development is definitely more activity in the franchise than during the drought before MM11.» haha it looks like a comment of a capcom PR to justify the lack of love towards the fans and to justify the existence of a mediocre game which, moreover, is not available in one of the biggest market

      «Remember:getting 2 games in the same franchise every year is not the norm, it is the exception (and we all remember how doing that turned out for megaman in the 2000's)» From 92 to 2010,there were several franchises at the same time, so I think you invent your own «norm» to justify the unjustifiable.

      Without wanting to offend you, your comment reminds me of someone who is either blinded by love or just a troll.

      Delete
    7. 1. Use the quotation marks when quoting someone not arrows i.e. "this" not <>

      2. Usually Mega Man games don't have DLC and when they do it barely affects the main game (i.e. reploid remixes)

      3. I have no clue what your talking about with dentist Mega Man but they never make games based off of manga, and usually the Mega Man games are 2D action platformers. Also, he/she is right when saying it doesn't matter if the game is a numbered sequel, seriously how do you think we have all these different Mega Man series.

      4. Be grateful we have content of any kind because like he said there was a HUGE drought in MM games, now there are more things being made at least, both in games and merchandise. (Btw that was the point of what he was saying)

      5. I dont get what your arguing against here, but what he meant was that 9 times out of 10 there is ONE GAME released for a SINGLE franchise IN A ONE TO TWO YEAR time span.

      I do not believe the man is blinded or a troll tbh

      Delete
    8. «1. Use the quotation marks when quoting someone not arrows i.e. "this" not <>»

      What the...I will use whatever I want dude haha

      «I do not believe the man is blinded or a troll tbh»

      tbh I do believe you are as blinded as him, and maybe a troll

      Delete
    9. Was not trying to be a troll i was just debating, cause thats what you do in a debate

      Also, you can use whatever thing you want for quoting people i just, essentially acted like a boomer and told you about proper quotations for no reason now that i think about it, sorry about that (and heck this is the internet most people including me have horrible grammar and spelling sometimes).

      Also did you even read the rest of what i wrote cause you did not make a reply to those things, im assuming you did but im just making sure...

      Delete
    10. It is odd this comment section on this page allows everyone to call themselves Anonymous, thus we can't distinguish who is who.

      Delete
    11. @Gary Daniel

      Well thats my fault considering i am deathly afraid to make an account because i wanna protect my data and crap so thats my bad i even wondered if i should sign a name when i comment or something... sorry

      Delete
    12. Instead of Anonymous, select Name. Type in a name. Use an alias.

      Delete
    13. Wtf is url and why dos dah big bad rockmmin cooner want it

      Delete
  10. I suppose it's going to be different from Xdive, or else that would be weird to have both.
    Wonder what kind of gameplay we're talking about.

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  11. Like everyone else, I'm not quite sure what to expect, but as long as it's nothing like Rockman Xover, then that's a good sign.

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  12. The most substantial piece of Capcom news announced during E3 so far is that a new Mega Man game was announced for mobile more than half a year ago.

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    Replies
    1. And we got no mention of Rockman on E3 as well. Cool.

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  13. Mobile? And by Tencent? Damn. No. I will take a look at it as I know I won't throw a penny on it.
    I still want a good ZX3 at some point.

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  14. Mobile? And by Tencent? Damn. No. I will take a look at it as I know I won't throw a penny on it.
    I still want a good ZX3 at some point.

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  15. Mobile? And by Tencent? Damn. No. I will take a look at it as I know I won't throw a penny on it.
    I still want a good ZX3 at some point.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Interesting. I'm open to whatever this turns out to be, but I don't expect anything crazy out of a mobile game.
    Metroid Dread's announcement today has me well fed for the time being :^)

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  17. didn't fly under the radar for me. saw it and turned my nose up at it.

    ReplyDelete

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