The Fate Of Legends 3 Rests In Prototype Version

Think Mega Man Legends 3 has been green-lit into production? Think again. The looming fear of "cancellation" rears its ugly head once more following a recent statement by director Masakazu Eguchi. In a blog post over at Capcom Unity, the director was quick to emphasize that, if Prototype Version isn't received well enough, Mega Man Legends 3 simply won't happen:

"the heat and excitement surrounding this downloadable title would determine whether or not the full game could be greenlit. If hype is strong, the full title will be a go. If not, it’s a no-go. I don’t even want to think about that outcome!

"Hype" is more than likely a substitute for the word "sales." Long story short, if Prototype Version meets Capcom's projected sales expectations, subsequently proving there is a demand for Legends 3, the project will be green-lit.

Capcom is merely seeking reassurance the title will sell. Yes, the Devroom is buzzing with heat and excitement, but that doesn't necessarily translate into sales. Prototype Version will assess just how strongly that hype really is.

Mega Man Legends 3: Prototype Version launches this May for a mere $2.00*.
(*Kitabayashi confirmed 200 Yen price during previous night's webshow. May not reflect NA price tag.)

Source: Capcom-Unity

Rockman DASH 3 Website Goes Live

The official Japanese Rockman DASH 3  website has received a hefty overall. While the site doesn't house any new information in terms of the actual game itself, it does boast a few nice features.

Upon entering, you'll be greeted with an absolutely lovely remix of the Flutter theme. On the left pane, you'll find a new section devoted solely to Barrett's gameplay, which offers some brief video explanations about the numerous actions he can perform.

A new character section touts a handful of images of the game's main cast. Scroll through the pages and you'll come across new artwork of Barrell, Data and Roll. As noted over at The Mega Man Network, the character section lists the Bonne Family as "in-development." In other words, we can infer that they, like Rock and Roll, will be receiving make-overs as well. This section also plays host to a viewable 3D model of Barrett; click here to check it out.

Last but not least, a download section has gone live, as well. Here, you'll find a Barrett-themed wallpaper in addition to the promise of more content in the future.

Check out the full site here! Though it may not be in your language, it's fun to just click around and discover.

Thanks for the tip, Allen!

Another Legends 3 Trailer Surfaces

More gameplay, more music, and a few snippets of spoken dialog await you in a second Legends 3 trailer recently put up by Capcom Japan only moments ago:

To reiterate, all of today's footage comes from Mega Man Legends 3 Prototype Version. MML3PV is but a work-in-progress sampling of the long-awaited sequel; as such, what you see here may change in the final product. Prototype Version will launch in May with the release of the Nintendo 3DS eShop.

Coinciding with the trailer's release, two new Devroom reports: Voice Recording Report Part 5 and Eguchi's commentary on the 'Big Announcement.' Do check them out when you get a chance as they contain new details into the identity of series new comer Barrett!

Mega Man Legends 3 Prototype Version Screenshots

Playing catch-up here; bear with me! Here are some screens from Mega Man Legends 3 Prototype Version, the upcoming playable demo that's slated to hit the Nintendo eShop later this May.

No sign of Mega Man Volnutt yet, so we can assume he's still stuck up on Elysium!

Plenty more screens and artwork available for your consumption at the Devroom!

Capcom Announces Legends 3 Demo

Indeed, Mega Man Legends 3: Prototype Version is the real deal. Capcom Unity has confirmed that Prototype Version will be one of the initial launch titles for the Nintendo 3DS eShop coming in May. Full details below:

“After Years of waiting, the new installment of Mega Man Legends draws closer with Mega Man Legends 3: Prototype Version! Available as a download, Mega Man Legends 3: Prototype Version will be a launch title when Nintendo eShop opens for business.

Mega Man Legends 3 is the first Capcom game to be co-developed by the fans. Prototype Version gives players the first taste of Mega Man's upcoming open-world action/adventure game, and lets them see the game still early in the development process. It also introduces a new character the the franchise, the reckless leader of a sky biker gang, Barrett.

Be the first to try out his new close combat gameplay style, and see first-hand some of the fan contributions to the game come to life. Also, once you have finished the core missions, receive access to areas of the game not yet finished, as well as a debug menu that gives you special moves and abilities.

Once you experience the game, let your voice be heard by heading to www.capcom-unity.com/devroom and join the community of Servbots who are helping designing the game. Get insight into what it takes to build a game, learn about the development process, and interact with members of the Development Team themselves. But most importantly, be creative. No matter how large or how small your idea is, you have the chance to see it come to life and get your name in the credits of the game!”

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Head on down to Capcom-Unity for more details and first real screenshots of Mega Man Legends 3 in action!

Legends 3's New Playable Character Revealed

Apologies for the delay in these stories; when you're a teacher, life can be pretty hectic! Anyway, the first of two big Mega Man Legends 3 announcements made today was the unveiling of a brand new character named Bullett. In actuality, Bullet will be a second playable character next to Mega Man Volnutt. Bullett is unique in that he can move with great agility and run up walls, as evident in the following footage:

More Footage here!

It remains to be seen if Mega Man Volnutt and Bullet will have their own respective missions, or if you choose who to play as whenever they please. Speculate away!

Archie Prepping Mega Man Compilation?

A recent listing at Amazon's North American branch suggests Archie Comics is the midst of preparing a paperback collection for their forthcoming Mega Man comic series. The book, entitled "Mega Man: Let The Games Begin", spans across 112 pages at $11.96, and will ship out at an undisclosed September 2011 date.

The product's page length, price tag seems to carry the notion that the book is a collection of, at least, the series' first five issues (May through September), which doesn't officially begin serialization until May 4th.  Why stop at issue five of a planned 12-issue series? Well, a compilation this early in the comic's life may even suggest that issues #1 to #5 encompass a single story arc.

Without further details however, we can only speculate for the time being. I'll be keeping an eye on this one...

Stay tuned!

Source: Amazon

Zero's Demise Never Looked So Good

I'll admit I was pretty shocked to see Zero kick the bucket all those years ago In Mega Man X1. Four deaths later, however... eh. I've pretty much grown accustomed to Zero dying and reviving time and time again, so the act leaves very little of an impact nowadays. Upon stumbling across this amazing piece by Doomsplosion, however, I began to feel some sympathy for the demise of the red crusader once again...

Lo and behold this awesome (and somewhat morbid) rendition of Zero's death in X1. I haven't felt this depressed towards the scene since, well, ever. Gosh, I mean just look at that; there's like this "holy" air to it. I don't believe I ever seen such a profound piece of fan-art before. Who knew one of the series biggest tropes could ever look this beautiful?

Literally just before I hit the publish button on this post, I picked up on a neat little detail: what's Zero holding in his hand? Yup, it's his arm cannon -- the "secret" buster upgrade in X1 given to players who passed up the traditional upgrade early on. Just one of many little details that help make the piece all the more epic.

via Doomsplosion's DeviantArt

Mega Man Gigamix 3 Headed Stateside

Was there really any doubt? The third and final installment in Hitoshi Ariga's epic Gigamix manga series is headed to the U.S later this fall courtesy of UDON Entertainment.

As of today, you can now nab a pre-order of Mega Man Gigamix Volume 3 from Amazon. The retail giant is currently listing the book for a release on September 27, 2011. Given that UDON hasn't official announced the book, the date is more than likely tentative.

What of Gigamix 1 and 2? As it stands, Gigamix 1 is still set for release next month, May 17, and Gigamix 2 on August 9. UDON does, however, have a bit of a history when it comes to delays so these dates may change from time to time. Simply keep a close watch, and be thankfully we're actually getting these books in English!

Get your Gigamix fill at Amazon.

Reaverbots Invade Your Desktop

Capcom Unity is commemorating the fans and contributors of the Mega Man Legends 3 Project with the release of an exclusive Reaverbot-themed wallpaper. Available in two flavors, light and black, the wallpaper features silhouettes of some of Legends' most recognizable Reaverbots. Upon second glance, there's actually quite a few in there I don't recognize. Hm..

There's three sizes available for each version. Go here and scroll alllll the way down, and enjoy!

It's worth mentioning that these wallpapers were released in celebration of the Devroom reaching a grand total of 11,200 members, or "Servbots", as they like to call them. As of April 15, Japan occupies 8,000 members while the North American Devroom holds a mere 3,200.

We can do so much better than that! Spread the word to family and friends; join the Devroom!

New Legends 3 Screens Surface (UPDATE 2)

Over at the Japanese Devroom, Mega Man Legends 3 producer Director Masakazu Eguchi has revealed a second batch of screenshots for a work-in-progress build of the game. The images hail from a prototype version that dates back to December 2010:

You can find the rest of the images at the Japanese Devroom here.

Eguchi does speak a little about each screen, but a translation is currently unavailable. The English Devroom will have their own version of the story up shortly. I'll update this post as soon as it's published. For now, enjoy the screens!

UPDATE: The Rockman DASH 3 official site is in the midst of an overhaul in preparation for April 21st's big announcement. In addition to bumping the game's development progress up to 25%, the site is teasing the unveiling of a brand new character. You can check out a silhouette of the character right here.

UPDATE 2: The North American Devroom has uploaded the post in English.

OFLC Rates 'Mega Man Legends 3 Prototype Version'

The Australian Classification Board has updated with a rather curious rating for a "Mega Man Legends 3: Prototype Version."

The subtitle of the product seems to carry the notion that this is a demo version of Legends 3, something that shouldn't come as a major surprising given that Capcom previously hinted something similar sorts was in the works.

It's worth mentioning that the OFLC doesn't usually rate demos. However, "extended preview" versions of popular titles such as Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and Dead Rising: Case Zero were previously subjected to classification. Could this mean Mega Man Legends 3: Prototype Version offers content that goes beyond your run-of-the-mill demo? A miniature game in itself?

We'll just have to wait and see. Capcom has yet to comment on this tidbit of news, but we'll keep an eye out on the Devroom. If there's news, it'll come from there!

Source: OFLC (via The Mega Man Network)