14 DAY TRIAL // Capcom filed a new trademark for something called Mega Man Universe with the United States Patent and Trademark Office last week, indicating that the publisher might be getting ready to announce a fresh version of its popular two-dimensional character. The trademark applies to everything, going from videogames to screensavers, to ring tones and downloadable games. Capcom has not officially said what it plans to do with the name but it will surely get fans of the character excited and eager to learn more.
The naming of Mega Man Universe initially suggests something along the lines of a MMO, but that it probably too bold an idea for a character still seen as retro. It could be just another compilation of other Mega Man titles, like the one that launches under the Anniversary name, with the games updated to take advantage of the features of newer consoles. But it could also be an entirely new series in the Mega Man franchise.
At the moment, fans of Mega Man can enjoy his performance in Mega Man 10, which was outed earlier in the year through the Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation Network and the WiiWare service from Nintendo. Capcom seems to have understood that the success of the series is linked with maintaining the NES look and audio signatures.
Mega Man Universe could mark a return of the series to the handheld space. After all, Nintendo has announced that, in 2011, players will be able to get the new 3DS device enabling 3D gaming, and Mega Man could be one of the first big properties to launch a title on the new platform.
Recently, Seth Killian, who is the community manager working for Capcom, appeared on the podcast of Destructoid, saying that the company had “some surprises in store for everybody,” adding that “there are exciting ideas in the Mega Man space.”