I get a lot of screwy rumors in my mailbox. Some I don't even post
because they sound utterly ridiculous. For example, someone claimed
they found "an advertisement for a Rockman/Naruto crossover game for
the PS3." C'mon, that just screams BS.
Often, I'm shot a really
great rumor, one that sounds decent but never comes true (with the
exception of Rockman 9). Tonight, I bring one of those really great
rumors (which may or may not be true), concerning a topic shrouded in
deep mystery; the existence of the Wii's "MegaMan Scramble Battle."
For the uninformed, "MegaMan Scramble Battle" refers to an unreleased game that appeared on a alleged European retail list back in 2007. The list featured a slew of upcoming Capcom titles, including some that were previously unannounced.
The
retailer list indicated Scramble Battle as an "action/RPG" title for
the Nintendo Wii slated for a release in late 2008-early 2009 time
frame.
News of Scramble Battle spread like while fire and as
noted by several gaming outlets, site hosting the list were forced to
take them down, thus possibly indicating it was a legitimate list.
Months later, Sven of Capcom-Unity confirmed that the title never existed, nor have they ever heard of it before. However, an anonymous source from the company begs to differ.
Two
days ago, I was contacted by a self proclaimed "former" Capcom USA
employee who offered to share information about Scramble Battle out of
respect for MegaMan fans. The individual believed it would be a topic
of great interest. As requested, he shall be referred to as "Joe."
The gist of the information:
-Scramble Battle once did exist but was eventually "shelved". The title was in pre-production back in the Spring of 2007.
-Planned as a Wii game from the get-go.
-It was originally produced by series veteran, Hironobu Takeshita and directed by Eichiro Sasaki.
-Scramble Battle went though three conceptual phases, each one experimented on a different game engine and concept:
The
first phase acted as a "bland" tech demo used to test the Wii's motion
capabilities. Users would point the Wii remote at the screen to shoot
on screen targets in a first person view.
The second phase was
described as a "party game." Players would take on the role of numerous
characters from the MegaMan universe and participate in several
"unique" mini games, all of which utilized the Wii remote's
accelerometer. This idea was scrapped for unspecified reasons.
Apparently, the engine from this concept was later adapted into
Capcom's other Wii title, "Zack and Wiki."
The
final phase was an action-RPG hybrid. Players assumed the role of Mega
Man (unspecified) and a "side kick" (unspecified) who are forced to
fight their way through slews of enemies in "classic RPG" fashion.
Apparently, attacks were gestured base; players would swing the Wii
remote a certain way to perform various actions. This concept was green
lit and began production in the Summer of 2007 with a release slated in
2008.
-Project went on hiatus for two big reasons:
One:
Testers were disappointed in the game's lack of quality. Testers noted
an immense amount of bugs and glitches that affected the overall
gameplay. (Could this be the game SurferGirl referred to as "shovelware?")
Two:
Takeshita and his team were shuffled around to other projects, focusing
their attention on other titles "further along in development" at that
time.
-As a result, Scramble Battle ceased production and was "shelved."
-Shortly afterwards, "Joe" left the company and began working at an overseas company.
-"Joe"
mentioned he has no knowledge of the game's current status. However, he
did note that shelved projects usually return to development at a later
time. It all depends on a company's priorities.
I'm a bit
perplexed as to where I stand on this. It all sounds good, but I can't
verify the legitimacy of the source. Make of it what you will.
For more information head on down to: http://protodudesrockmancorner.blogspot.com/

Yea, I generally heard somewhat of the same stuff...kinda. Regardless as to whether or not scramble battle was in the pipeline or not, I think the team is focused in the right direction (Rockman 9).
Jaxel03:44 PM CST