The Top 7 Franchises That Capcom Needs To Bring Back

It’s clear that Capcom is experiencing a resurgence, often referred to as a second golden era. After a stumble with their efforts to adapt to the West (the DMC reboot being a notable example), this legendary Japanese company has found renewed strength by returning to its roots and rejuvenating some of its classic series along the way.

Stepping back into the limelight, I find myself thrilled by Capcom’s recent triumphs with their blockbuster hits like Monster Hunter and Resident Evil. It’s a joy to witness Capcom gradually revitalizing their other IPs, which had taken a hit during what I call the “dark ages.

In contrast to the sparse offerings of Street Fighter V at its launch, the current scenario is much more favorable for fighting game enthusiasts, as Street Fighter 6 is poised to surpass its sales, and there are numerous retro collections featuring series like Marvel vs Capcom and Darkstalkers that are readily accessible on modern gaming platforms.

In recent times, the company seems to be venturing into more innovative projects, much like they did years ago in the past. For instance, Capcom recently launched the strategically engaging yet underappreciated game Kunitsu-Gami, and the PvPvE extraction shooter Exoprimal last year.

In 2024, Dragon’s Dogma made its return with a new sequel. Similarly, Onimusha and Okami are set to reappear, as work on their forthcoming editions is already in progress.

Nevertheless, with Capcom boasting such an extensive collection, fans find themselves pondering: which upcoming intellectual property might the company prepare for a comeback? Here are some of my personal favorites.

Viewtiful Joe

It makes perfect sense that we haven’t heard any updates about Viewtiful Joe from Capcom since its creator, Hideki Kamiya, left the company shortly after releasing Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble for the GameCube and Double Trouble! for the DS.

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but share my excitement about Kamiya, the mastermind behind the Devil May Cry series at Capcom, now joining forces with them again for an Okami sequel! With his creations like Bayonetta and Wonderful 101 under Platinum Games, he has not only produced gaming icons but also cult classics. The possibility of Joe, Silvia, and the whole gang returning is truly a dream come true for fans!

If you haven’t experienced Viewtiful Joe yet, it’s a captivating side-scroller where combat is the main focus, featuring a protagonist named Viewtiful Joe. In this game, Viewtiful Joe embarks on a mission to save his girlfriend Silvia who has been kidnapped by a real-life movie antagonist. This villain transports both of them into a unique world called Movieland. Here, Viewtiful Joe gets the opportunity to fulfill his aspiration of becoming a Tokusatsu hero.

One game that truly embodies the distinctive spirit of the collaboration between Capcom and Hideki Kamiya is this one. Regrettably, an Okami sequel seems to be several years off at present, and since Clovers (Kamiya’s latest studio) maintains its independence, the revived partnership might prove to be a singular occasion.

Mega Man

Ignore the voices from the back who say they have recently obtained Mega Man X Dive offline and the Battle Network Legacy Collection. This is insufficient for the Blue Bomber and his followers.

In a more conversational tone:

Don’t pay heed to those guys chattering about getting Mega Man X Dive offline and the Battle Network Legacy Collection. That’s not nearly enough for our beloved Blue Bomber and his supporters.

I can’t help but feel that Capcom’s beloved, though unofficially titled, mascot is not getting the recognition he truly deserves.

Approximately seven years have passed since Mega Man 11 hit the shelves, marking the second longest gap between main series releases. For fans of the X spinoffs, it’s been quite a wait since X8 came out in 2005. As for Battle Network, we might as well not mention the last release from that series, which was way back in 2006. And as far as Legends goes… let’s not go there.

Certainly, Mega Man’s absence has a reason behind it. During their prime, they were regularly releasing a new game starring the Blue Bomber nearly every week.

To give you an idea of how many Mega Man games Capcom has released, the franchise has sold more than 42 million copies, starring the Blue Bomber. Yet, its top-selling game ranks 65th in Capcom’s list of most successful titles (Mega Man 11).

There seems to be a strong desire for the return of Mega Man in some form or another at the moment. Personally, I’d be thrilled with a sequel to Mega Man Soccer, but if given the choice, I believe X Command Mission would benefit from a remake.

Dino Crisis

Without fail, whenever discussions arise about Capcom series that deserve a comeback, it is customary on the web to bring up Dino Crisis.

To be honest, I don’t hold any personal emotional connection to the franchise as I haven’t played any of its games from the series. However, it’s clear that there’s a passionate group of fans who are eagerly waiting for its comeback.

One reason the series is held in high esteem is that it was developed by the renowned Shinji Mikami, who gained fame through Resident Evil while at Capcom. Later on, Mikami, under the name Kamiya, would depart from the company and embark on new adventures first with Clover Studio, then Platinum Games, and eventually Tango Gameworks. At Tango Gameworks, he contributed to the development of The Evil Within in 2014, marking his final role as a game director before moving onto other projects.

The renewed popularity of Resident Evil following its stagnation with part 6 paves the way for a comeback of Dino Crisis. Since Shinji Mikami has been outspoken about Capcom continuing his franchises without him, a Dino Crisis remake seems past due.

Marvel vs Capcom

It’s high time, Capcom, to whisk us away again! The thrill of Marvel vs Capcom never wanes, regardless if one plays it personally or simply enjoys watching spectacular combos on YouTube. This tag team battle always satisfies!

Despite not being a fan of fighting games, the unique and thrilling idea of this unlikely crossover between Street Fighter and X-Men, which initially placed these characters in combat with each other, was so intriguing that it was hard not to get drawn in.

In due course, the entire Marvel Universe found itself clashing with the urban landscape. Eventually, characters like Mega Man, Strider, and Captain Commando squared off against heavyweights such as Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Wolverine when the initial Marvel vs Capcom game was unveiled in 1998.

Many people believe that the Marvel vs Capcom franchise reached its zenith with MvC2 or the Ultimate Marvel 3 period. However, there’s disagreement about which era is superior. What most can agree on is that Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite significantly weakened the series. Despite the hype surrounding the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Infinite’s release in 2017 struggled and failed to keep pace with Dragon Ball FighterZ, a game released just a few months prior in early 2018.

Although the series hasn’t been entirely inactive compared to others on this list, the removal of some classic games from all online marketplaces for an extended period gave fans a strong indication that there would be no new developments regarding Marvel vs Capcom. Essentially, the era of Dreams for this series seemed to have come to an end.

It wasn’t until just last year that we saw a return of Marvel vs Capcom – surprisingly, during a Nintendo Direct broadcast where there had been no earlier leaks or whispers to spoil the surprise.

Although it may not happen soon, the ambition for a Marvel video game that captures our imagination persists. Instead of developing games in-house, Marvel has been collaborating with distinct developers to deliver top-notch gaming experiences. This approach is responsible for the creation of Insomniac’s Spider-Man, Marvel Rivals from NetEase, and the underappreciated Guardians of the Galaxy by Square Enix.

Who’s to say two long-time old pals can’t come together to make magic one last time?

Strider

Instead of mincing words: It’s clear that Strider is quite specialized. More likely than not, most of his fans are from his appearances in Marvel vs. Capcom, rather than games solely featuring him.

The most recent installment in the series was a 2014 reimagining of the initial game from 1989. This remake, jointly developed by the now-closed Double Helix Games, has sold more than 1 million units, leaving many wondering why there hasn’t been a follow-up.

Capcom has the potential to reinvent their franchise by transforming it into a game that offers high replay value, similar to roguelikes. Examples of successful franchises that have ventured into this format include Prince of Persia, Castlevania (as seen in Dead Cells), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and even Dynasty Warriors with its spin-off, Warriors: Abyss.

It’s the latest craze, and if one developer can add a new spin to it that’s Capcom.

Final Fight

Discussing the beat ’em up games that deserve a resurgence, could you enlighten us about the status of Final Fight, Capcom? The cityscape of Metro City and its characters hold significant value in various other series. It appears that players will be able to traverse Metro City within Street Fighter 6, and historically, Final Fight characters have been included in that game’s roster.

In the early 2000s, there was a period where 2D games were considered less favorable. The shift towards 3D games was the hot topic and the focus of most conversations among gamers. If a game didn’t offer the ability to traverse three-dimensional polygonal environments, it wasn’t seen as worth playing.

3D adaptations of Final Fight, notably Streetwise released in 2006, didn’t meet fans’ expectations, receiving a somewhat divided response. The game lacked the charm and appeal of the original series, as it was created during Capcom’s focus on appealing to Western markets. Interestingly, Streetwise never saw a release in Japan.

Currently, games such as Streets of Rage 4, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, and the River City Girls series demonstrate a trend where fans prefer well-designed, enjoyable, and easy-to-understand local multiplayer beat ’em up games. The responsibility now lies with Capcom to create a similar experience.

Rivals Schools

Among all the options, I’ve chosen yet another action-packed fighting game as my top choice. While there are many Capcom games that could use a resurgence, I’m leaning toward the beloved title Rival Schools.

In this era of revitalization for fighting games, it’s striking how few titles are being developed in the 3D realm. Let’s avoid discussing arena fighters, if possible.

It appears that Tekken reigns supreme, and it seems that Bandai Namco may have put Soulcalibur on the backburner, according to renowned producer Katsuhiro Harada. As for Dead or Alive and Virtua Fighter, they seem to be absent at the moment, with a potential return for the latter as late as 2026.

There’s a possibility, albeit slim, that Capcom might step into the 3D fighting game arena with a revamped edition of Rival Schools. This franchise is quite distinctive due to its grounded approach in the world of fighting games – it’s all about ordinary high school students getting into fisticuffs. Initially, that’s the basic concept, at least.

These are my choices. As a devoted Capcom fan for life, I truly hope they dedicate time to creating new intellectual properties while also remembering the characters and franchises that initially propelled their success.

2025-02-18 09:13