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. Neither Mega Man nor its various spin-off series have had consistent releases since then, and the last new console Mega Man title was 2018's Mega Man 11. With Legacy Collections continuing to release for all of Mega Man's major subseries, the franchise is not dead, but it isn't doing much beyond spinning its wheels.
Following Mega Man's 35th anniversary on December 17, it's hard to say where the future lies. The Mega Man X Dive mobile title is still chugging along, and a particularly high-effort Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is due out in early 2023. There is room for a few more Legacy Collections focusing on Star Force and some side games like the Legends titles, 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.
Mega Man’s 35th Anniversary Looks Barren
The Mega Man franchise has a history of celebrating its major anniversaries. While the Mega Man Anniversary Collection from 2004 doesn't coincide with any notable dates, later titles like 2006's Mega Man Powered Up could have easily been pushed another year and framed as an anniversary game, celebrating the franchise’s origins. One could consider 2008's Mega Man 9, the Inti Creates revival of the original Mega Man, to have been released in its 20th anniversary. The elevated fan game Street Fighter X Mega Man came out on Mega Man's 25th birthday, and Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 was a few months short of its 30th.
All of this, combined with the ongoing Legacy Collections, communicates that Capcom is not afraid of celebrating Mega Man's status and age. Even so, Capcom has only revealed a logo and some merchandise for Mega Man's 35th anniversary. This is comparable to things like Nintendo's own slew of 30th and 35th anniversaries, including for The Legend of Zelda. The lack of new games during Zelda's anniversaries and Tears of the Kingdom’s delay into 2022 may be a result of the COVID pandemic, and the same could be said of Mega 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 more Mega Man games. With Mega Man 11 being 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. While Legacy Collections have kept Mega Man alive, a true sequel to one of his various franchises is necessary for him to thrive. Many suspect that Mega Man X may be the next part of the franchise to get a new installment, but it has been long enough since Mega Man 11 that a Mega Man 12 could also be announced.
Attentive fans have unearthed some genuine evidence of a new Mega Man on its way. Domains for Mega Man 12, Mega Man 13, Mega Man 14, and Mega Man 15 were 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 missed Mega Man's 35th birthday, the ensuing year is still rife with opportunities to reveal a brand-new Mega Man game. Hopefully, with all the pieces in place, Capcom doesn't miss the chance to return Mega Man to his former glory.