Over the course of video game history, there are only a few game companies have stood the test of time. Nintendo, Sega, Konami, and of course, Capcom. One of the best things about Capcom is the rapport they have with their fans. Case in point, the community-centric site, Capcom Unity and collaborations such as having fans contribute the soundtrack to their Street Fighter HD remake. What they just announced though? Well, that brings the gap between company and fans to it’s closest point.
That’s right, to celebrate the end of Street Fighter’s 25th anniversary and the beginning of Mega Man’s, Capcom has announced the aptly named Street Fighter X Mega Man! Conceived by Capcom fan Seow Zong Hui, this game was picked up officially by Capcom and fleshed out into a full game. The best part? It’s going to be absolutely free! Check the trailer below and hear my thoughts afterward.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61-OMrOxyso
Well, that looks pretty cool. From first glance, it seems to be a Mega Man styled game casting various Street Fighters in the role of the normal Robot Masters, with everyone’s famous Blue Bomber gaining their various powers for himself! You can find out all of the details on the main site, and pop on over there on December 17th, to download some mash-up goodness!
And now, a bit of editorializing. Already on the Internet, people have been poo-pooing on this game. They’ve been calling it a stopgap for Mega-fans, and no real effort is being made to make up for last year’s cancellation of both Mega Man Universe, and the much lamented Mega Man Legends 3. I’ll admit that these things bother me as well, but I’m sure as heck not going to say I won’t play an absolutely free game that is an obvious labor of love for both franchises. My Internet-enabled snark can only go so far, after all.
Honestly, I’m just happy that Capcom is showing they still care about one of their most venerable franchises, and despite their tight-lippedness, they do still care about their fans. I’m sure to be hitting F5 on my browser repeatedly come the 17th. What say you?