Betting on Bosses

We have a new Rockman boss contest coming up soon, and I feel like wagering on what I think it’ll be. Granted, I’m not crazy about making predicitions, partly because I don’t like being wrong. On top of that, information of the boss contest will surface any day now – it might even come up while I’m writing this. But for the sake of taking a bet (and filling out or editorials department) I will tell you what I think of the upcoming boss contest.
What I think it is

Mega Man 10: I’m a little surprised that this became my primary choice. Sure it seems obvious, with Capcom’s tendency to release a chain of sequels once they get started on a hit. However, I myself argued that if Capcom treated the revival of the classic series that way, they’d just as quickly snuff it out. Also, I felt a boss contest for Mega Man 10 would be too early. After all, boss contests in Japan generally are unveiled about five to six months before the Rockman game in question releases. But then I realized I was going by Battle Network and Star Force standards, which at most had three winners. A contest for Mega Man 10 could potentially be all eight bosses, and if that’s the case then they’d need an early start on the contest if we’re to expect Mega Man 10 out in in Fall. Should we be looking at a contest for all eight bosses, I surely hope they’ll extend it to North America. I think a lot of the hype for Mega Man here is a big part of the reasoning that Mega Man 9 could even be made in the first place.

Something all new: This is both easy and difficult to ponder, because there’s nothing historical to lean on. Probably the most compelling reason it wouldn’t be a brand new series is that Capcom has never had a boss contest for the first game in a new series, it always starts with the second. The players need time to absorb the series’ story and theme before they can go off making their own characters. So if anything, I’d pick a classic game that isn’t Mega Man 10. Perhaps something like a Mega Man & Bass or another side game (though I’m not suggesting it will be another Mega Man & Bass, or even a game with playable characters other than Mega Man). So while not something brand new, it could still be a game that isn’t considered by conventional thinking.

What I think it isn’t

Star Force 4/A new Battle Network: Honestly, I’ve found some of these rumors laughable. The BN/SF team just got finished making Star Force 3 in Japan, and I highly doubt they’re going to publicize Star Force 4 so soon. I’ve also heard some talk that it could be a Battle Network title, or perhaps a game to bridge the two series, since Star Force’s sales figures haven’t been matching Battle Network’s. While that may be true about the sales, you have to remember that a lot of Capcom’s other spotlight series having been doing very well, and despite the lower sales of Star Force (which honestly haven’t been terrible, just bland compared to BN), Capcom as a whole has been raking in the profits. I don’t see why they’d need to jump back to a series which formally ended. I could perhaps see a remake of Battle Network, but sheesh, it hasn’t even been ten years yet.

Mega Man X9/Legends 3/another continuation: Though I do think it’s plausible Inafune will get to reviving these series, perhaps even soon, I doubt that’s what this boss contest is about. These other series have never had boss contests before, and I don’t see a reason for them to start. That’s all I really have to say on that.

So I’ve got my money on Mega Man 10. Granted, while Capcom is pretty routine with their MM releases, they can also pull fast ones from time to time, Mega Man 9 being a great example. I could be terribly wrong in my line of reasoning, but then it’s never any fun if you don’t bother to play the game. So, how does my thinking stack up to your expectations? What Mega Man game do you think is in the works?

LanceHeart