Rockman Elysium

PRC has a 'deep throat' source inside Capcom's QA department (That would be game testers- people who's job it is to make sure you don't run into walls and get stuck there because the rendering in an area is broken, stuff like that) who PRC believes to be legit.

He has now released a simple, chilling quote about RM9:

"Robots have expiration dates."

Given the current rumor is that Protoman and Megaman are the main playable characters with seperate endings, and we KNOW Protoman has a energy balancer problem that he's never allowed anyone to correct... does this mean Protoman (or Rock) is going to die in RM 9?

Probably not- as has been pointed out by a variety of people including Inafune himself, the game is a CHILDREN'S SERIES- but the thought is still pretty deep for Capcom; and Capcom HAS been more than willing to kill off hero characters before (Y helo thar, Zero/Aile/Girouette/etc--and don't forget Blues being CHOPPED IN HALF in Rockman and Forte!)

PRC adds: On a completely different note: I did some more research about the OFLC, even contacted them for some clarification. Apparently, the OFLC has never in its history listed a "rumored" game, implying that the RM9/MM9 listing is no mistake, it is real.

And you know, even if it turns out to be a completely different plotline, let's just think about the implications that could come out of the statement from a fanfic potential. A speculator on PRC wondered if the 'government' was going to consider ZX-style (or Blade Runner) limitations of lifespan for robots. If that were to happen, some sort of governmental regulation, it would explain Light appearing to take the X project deep underground in MHX, and the sealing of both X and Zero by their respective creators.


ON CONFIRMATION OF THE RUMOR?:
( speculation within )

The crafty folks watching the governmental registry databases for Australia dug this up today!

The official Australian governmental media classification board site is here:
http://www.classification.gov.au/special.html?n=46&p=156&sTitle=mega+man+9&sMediaFilm=1&sMediaPublications=1&sMediaGames=1&sDateFromM=1&sDateFromY=1970&sDateToM=6&sDateToY=2008&record=228120



The news is flying across the Megaman sites and gaming interwebs now. Whatever it turns out to be, SOMETHING with the legal name of Megaman 9 has been commercially registered in Australia. SOMETHING is definitely going on.

As far as platforms, PS(3) Network and X-Box Live Arcade digital direct download is spoken of. Red Ant is an Australian distribution company that releases Capcom material in that country with branches into DVD production as well as game-releases. A look at their recent releases definitely points to a recent trend of downloadable content for PSN and XBLA. (Dammit, am I going to have to get a PS3 now?!)

Sources are the ever-reliable Protodude's Rockman Corner and Rockman Perfect Memories:

Rockman Perfect Memories

Protodude's Rockman Corner

GoNintendo

Bookmark Red Ant directly for further developments: http://www.red-ant.com.au/Announcements.aspx

More: I have checked the US database of searchable copyright registrations for Megaman and, at this time, Capcom does NOT appear to have registered the title in the US. However, that does NOT mean it doesn't exist, or may still be tied up in applications, or any number of other things. Capcom's only current copyright registration for 2008 is something related to Street Fighter II.