…And a Mighty New Year!

Right now, I’m really wishing I’d gone with “Have a Very Mega Man Xmas” earlier.

Anyway, some news has recently surfaced from Comcept and Keiji Inafune himself, who offers wishes for a Happy New Year in this latest video:

In addition to a glimpse at a new stage, Inafune notes that they are pretty much finished developing the game; now all that remains is porting and promoting the title. Regarding that last part, he adds that he hopes we’ll all be able to help, though whether he means in a general word-of-mouth way or they have something more specific in mind remains to be seen.

Prior to this, the Mighty No. 9 team also showed off a new element of the world from the upcoming title: The Battle Colosseum, which is “at the heart of the story.”

The Battle Colosseum is an arena in which free-for-all robot combat takes place, with events sponsored by the government in the interest of furthering robotics research. Those who are victorious earn access to a massive coffer of research funds and other special privileges.

Naturally, these events are open to the public as well, “acting as a modern bread and circus (or a place to make a quick buck).” While there are other robot competitions out there, such as races and endurance tests against the harshness of heat and cold, this is the place to be.

According to Art Director Shinsuke Komaki, “The Battle Colosseum is both symbolic of and an essential component to the Mighty No. 9 world. This world runs on new socialism, trading up thrills and amusement for a world without inequality. In such a world, the Battle Colosseum is one of the most popular and exciting forms of entertainment, and the data collected during the event is invaluable for technological progress. That’s why we envisioned the arena at the very center of the city, from which the metropolis radiates outwards.

“While many futuristic stories show starry skylines, we wanted to give Mighty No. 9 a brighter, more contemporary feel. That’s why the art is drawn in the daytime with a wide blue sky overhead.”

Further details about the design can be found in Comcept’s corresponding update post, which also shows off the National Battle Colosseum Association’s logo and a close-up of the fight posters seen at the arena, but are difficult to make out as clearly.

More contest entries are also shown there, including the winner from– amusingly– one “Tron Bonne,” whose design got a makeover by Keiji Inafune himself:

What’s more, Inafune’s redesigns of these fan-made entries will be featured by Inti Creates as posters in the Mighty No. 9 backdrop.

Spring is just around the corner, so hopefully we’ll have an official release date soon!

News Credit: Destructoid

LBD "Nytetrayn"

David Oxford, or “LBD ‘Nytetrayn’,” as he is sometimes also known, is a freelance writer of many varied interests who resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. If you’re interested in hiring him, please drop him a line at david.oxford (at) nyteworks.net.

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