Sleuths and spirits, rejoice! Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective will reawaken in the physical world with a remaster set to spook your gaming delights in Summer 2023 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam.

Making its first appearance in North America in 2011, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was directed and written by Shu Takumi. You take the role of Sissel, a phantom who wakes up with no memories and must unravel the mystery behind his death. Sissel utilizes his “Ghost” and “Trick” abilities to possess and manipulate objects in his search for the truth.

Sissel encounters a ragtag band of characters who each may have answers to his death, including Lynne, a witness of Sissel’s death, and Kamila, a little girl who is protected by her dog Missile while awaiting a mysterious fate. Can Sissel figure out their connection to his demise?

As a remaster, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective comes jam-packed with new features including:

• Higher Quality Gameplay: Images and framerates are now adapted for 1080p/60fps visuals
• Optimized UI Features: With new platforms comes compatibility for both controllers and touch screens (applicable only to platforms with built-in touch screen support.)
• Nine Languages (Three Brand New!): Now playable in nine languages, including English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean (new), Simplified Chinese (new), and Traditional Chinese (new)
• New Challenges for Consoles: Newly added Trophies and returning Ghost Puzzles can be obtained by completing different levels of the game
• Fresh Music and Illustrations: Available in the Collection feature, players can now access newly recorded and arranged music tracks alongside unique illustrations

That’s all for now, but don’t be scared! We’ll have more information you’ll die for as we get closer to Summer 2023. In the meantime, we leave you with this: Why are ghosts so lonely? Because they have no body to lean on.

Just a little over a year ago, we kicked off the Capcom Creators program as a way to support, grow and share our appreciation of the amazing content creator community. We’re humbled by the interest and attention the program has received in its first 12 months and are dedicated to continuing to grow Capcom Creators in the years ahead.

We’d like to send a heartfelt thank you to the entire passionate community of streamers, YouTubers, artists, cosplayers, and everything in between that have made the Capcom Creators program what it is today. Without you, this program doesn’t exist.

As a way to further celebrate and cap off our one-year anniversary, we’re highlighting just a small handful of the amazing Capcom Creators below. We wish we had room to highlight everyone but that would be a verrrrry long blog post.

And as a reminder, if you’re interested in joining the program yourself, head to the website here to check out the details and apply!

With that, say hello to the creators below and we can’t wait to find more ways to celebrate with you all in Year Two!

KeeKeexBabyy

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I am a variety creator who plays literally any and everything, while creating an uplifting and welcoming space for BIPOC & marginalized people like myself. I also cosplay and do part time vtubing.

Follow keekeexbabyy on Instagram – @keekeexbabyy

What is your favorite Capcom game?

Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Devil May Cry, & Monster Hunter games.

What has the Capcom Creators program meant to you?

It has been amazing getting to work closely with Capcom staff on things and having opportunities to play new versions of many of the games that were a big part of my childhood. It has meant so much as the little girl who watched her mom playing Resident Evil and growing up to tell her I am partnered with Capcom and to see how happy & proud of me she is. It just means so much especially because I have so much love for the games.

Nemesis

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m Nemesis! I’m a trans drag queen variety cosplay retro streamer! It’s a mouthful, but I do it all! I’m glad I can be a voice for my community.

Follow Nemesis on Instagram – @nemesislacroix

What was your first Capcom game?

Viewtiful Joe 2

What has the Capcom Creators program meant to you?

It’s been great to network and meet so many faces within the industry, I love to mingle and meet new people in comfortable safe spaces!

Sesame Cosplay

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m primarily a cosplayer but I stream a bit of my making process over on Twitch. I’ve been making cosplay since I was in high school and over the years incorporated or experimented with new techniques. As I got a number of questions of how something was made, I decided to start a Twitch channel where people could ask me in real-time any questions that they might have. Aside from that, I work in the education industry, attend college in a Master’s program and run a taiko drum group. Really, I like being busy.

Follow Sesame on Instagram – @sesame.cos

What is your favorite Capcom game?

Okami

What has the Capcom Creators program meant to you?

It’s been amazing! I’ve been able to meet so many cool people creating things for the games that I love. Especially for the Monster Hunter community! I’ve been able to make so many new friends and we are able to meet up, talk to each other, share reference pictures, talk about new crafting techniques, play the games together, and on and on and on. It’s great!

Nintendads

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

We are primarily a podcast, but also streamers and content creators! Two dads, many hats!

Follow the Nintendads on Instagram – @thenintendads

What is your favorite Capcom game?

Monster Hunter Rise / Sunbreak

What has the Capcom Creators program meant to you?

Being accepted to the Capcom Creators program has meant the world to us! Both of us have played Capcom games since childhood so getting to partner with the company that has made some of our favorite games is a dream come true. Since Monster Hunter Rise released, we’ve been sucked into the world of Monster Hunter and its community, and it has quickly become one of our favorite games. Capcom has showered us with support in many ways such as the Hunter Helper Happy Hour and by sending over the COOLEST box of swag we’ve ever received! It’s wonderful to be acknowledged and validated as a creator by a big publisher like Capcom. This program is truly building something special <3

Emily Serrato

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m a cosplayer, Twitch streamer and dedicated disability advocate in the gaming and esports industries as I am a disabled person myself, working hard to showcase disabled gamers to bring recognition, opportunities and awareness.

Follow tokimekiemily on Instagram – @tokimekiemily

What is your favorite Capcom game?

Street Fighter Alpha 3

What has the Capcom Creators program meant to you?

The Capcom Creators program has meant a lot to me as a Street Fighter fan, cosplayer, and disabled person/disability advocate. Street Fighter inspired me to start playing fighting games, start cosplaying, fight for what I believe in, and share my passion for Street Fighter with others. To represent Capcom and their community as a disabled person speaks volumes because I don’t have the biggest social media following. I’m a small streamer and representative of unseen, unsupported community as the disabled. I’m an example of what is possible when you’re passionate about gaming and love what you do. Thank you for allowing me to shine and show what’s possible when I follow my heart, Capcom. Thank you for allowing me to represent the disabled community.

Aria Mikado

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m a VTuber, and a content creator of many years! I’ve been doing combo and tutorial videos for 14 years and counting for several different games, including those under Capcom’s banner, several of which have made the rounds in places like Shoryuken.com, Eventhubs, Dream Cancel (which I’m an occasional contributor for), and even places like The Daily Dot! I hope to continue making content with the aim of teaching people moving forward. :3

Follow Aria Mikado on Twitter – @AriaMikado

What was your first Capcom game?

My first Capcom game was Street Fighter II, like so many others, but it was the Chip N’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers and Mega Man games that caught me most at a young age. :3

What has the Capcom Creators program meant to you?

The Capcom Creators program has meant a lot to me. As an introvert that finds socializing quite difficult (to put it lightly), being able to be in a place of acceptance and support did a lot to help me start to move out of my comfort zone more, even if my interactions are rare. It’s also helped give me a good deal of confidence, as it’s been a positive sign to me that all the tutorials and the like that I’ve done over the years haven’t gone unappreciated, and that thanks to you all, I have reminders that things that I’ve done have mattered and made a difference, so sincerely, thank you all for everything you do for us.

That’s it for now! We are always looking to highlight more members of our Capcom Creators Program and will continue to do so in 2023. Thank you to each and every single one of you for your passion, support, and love of Capcom games!

Something chilling comes this way. We spilled all the of the icy details on Free Title Update 4 for Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak in the latest digital event! Watch the trailer below or read on to see what’s coming.

Born in a World of Ice

Anyone else just get a chill down their spine? Free Title Update 4 is coming to Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak on Nintendo Switch and PC/Steam on February 7, and with it comes the return of the elusive Elder Dragon, Velkhana.

First introduced in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, this Elder Dragon is a true master of ice, capable of controlling the cold to freeze everything in its path. Hunters who have spent some time in the Hoarfrost Reach will find this hunt familiar, of course with some new twists to discover in Sunbreak. For newcomers, keep an eye on its ability to freeze water particles in the air. These pillars of ice will hit hard, so follow its tendencies closely in order to triumph.

Get ready for an AMBUSH. We’ve sighted our fourth Risen Elder Dragon…and it’s sure to be a tough one. Risen Crimson Glow Valstrax has overcome the affliction and has emerged in an even more powerful form than before.

Use every trick at your disposal and display your hunting mastery in what is sure to be one of the toughest challenges in Sunbreak to date! As with previous Risen monsters, expect some new never-before-seen moves, as well as the ability to craft a new armor set with its materials.

Speaking of which, here is a look at the two new Velkhana and Crimson Glow Valstrax armor sets.

You can square off against Velkhana starting at MR 10, and Risen Crimson Glow Valstrax at MR 160.

The Anomaly Continues…

As with past Sunbreak Free Title Updates, we’re introducing some new Anomaly Research content to keep your endgame adventures going strong.

A8★ Anomaly Research quests are on the way. Included in this new rank are Afflicted Chaotic Gore Magala and Afflicted versions of previously introduced Risen Elder Dragons. They’ll start appearing from Anomaly Level 111 and above.

If you thought a standard Risen Elder Dragon was tough…well, you get the picture.

Defeat these highly powerful monsters and earn new materials that unlock the level cap for Qurious Crafting for weapons. You’ll be able to improve your weapons even further by increasing the number of Anomaly Slots at your disposal.

We’re also adding even more items at Bahari’s Anomaly Research Lab. Stock up on those Investigation Coins for what awaits!

By the way, this Free Title Update will also include a few additional quality of life additions for Anomaly Research. Previously, you needed to hunt the specified monster in order to make progress towards the Investigation Coin bonus. Now, all Afflicted monsters will count towards the request counter, but if you hunt the requested monster, you’ll receive a bonus. Also, the conditions will be adjusted to more regularly draw a lower quest level for the request.

Free Goodies

To celebrate the addition of Velkhana to Sunbreak, we’re giving out early access to a Palamute Velkhana layered armor! To get the Velkhana Costume, you’ll need to create a Capcom ID account and enter the giveaway before February 5 at 8pm PST.

Capcom ID is our unified account that includes services for a variety of Capcom games. Creating an account is free. The Velkhana Costume will also be available to other players at a later date.

Head to the official website for more details.

Even More Event Quests

We’ve got a bunch more Event Quests on the way, some of which will include new layered armor as rewards. If you’re not familiar with them, Event Quests are new free quests that are routinely added to the game on a near weekly basis.

In this round of Event Quests, we’ve got some intense Dual Threat quests on the way. In one of them, you’ll hunt down both a Seething Bazelgeuse and Chaotic Gore Magala at the same time. In another, Furious Rajang and the powerful Scorned Magnamalo await.

Here’s a quick sampling of some of the armor sets you can craft from completing them.

A Few “Animated” Friends…

Free Title Update 4 also introduces some additional DLC, including layered armor, gestures, poses, BGM, and more fun optional content to spice up your hunting life.

If you’ve been following Minoto’s Hunting Guide on our website and social media channels or taken a look at some of the art around Elgado, you might recognize a few 2D friends brought to life.

Believe it or not, the stars of the Hunting Guide: Lance Gunn, Ran Page, Pup R., and Kit T., are joining Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak as layered armor DLC. They’ve got quite a striking look and make one heck of an impression, so we hope you check it out.

A Look Ahead

That about wraps it up for Free Title Update 4! All of this content will be added for free to the Nintendo Switch and Steam versions of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak on February 7. We hope you’re excited! Before we go, let’s look at the upcoming roadmap.

Hmm…it looks like Free Title Update 5 will be introducing a fearsome returning Elder Dragon. Guess we’ll have to wait until April to find out what it is!

Keep up to date with the official Monster Hunter Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts for the latest news, and please let us know what you think of Free Title Update 4.

Hello everyone! Koichi Shibata here, reporting from the Monster Hunter Rise dev floor!

For our next Monster Hunter Rise interview, I’ll be talking to Yuya Endo, the lead environment designer, about the locale design!

Q1: First off, could you tell us what your role was on Sunbreak?

A1: I was in charge of overseeing all work regarding the environments, so I was basically managing that department. I was involved in everything environment-related when we started development, including schedule management and communication with other departments, providing support wherever it was needed, and basically being involved in a wide variety of tasks.

This was the first time for me to be in charge of an entire department.

Q2: There are several locales with different characteristics in Sunbreak. Could you tell us a bit more about your overall concepts for the game, as well as the individual concepts per locale?

A2: The locale that is most clearly representative of Sunbreak’s concepts is the Citadel, which was made to reflect the main concept for the new monsters, i.e. “monsters from Western folklore.” From the early design stages, we were already aware that we had to design the environments with the Three Lords in mind, so we had to create territories for each of the three monsters: a forest, a mountain range, and castle ruins, with different visuals to ensure that each area feels like it has its own ecosystem.

We decided on the form and layout of the areas after hammering out the settings for each territory in more detail, while also taking the various gameplay gimmicks proposed by the game designers in mind. Since we have three different areas with wildly varying atmospheres, it was tough to get everything to fit into the game’s memory, and we had to reduce the process load until it just barely fit, so it all worked out somehow in the end… Fortunately, we had a lot of help from other departments, because I was really asking way too much from the members of the environment team. But thanks to their hard work, the entire locale looks beautiful, from the main hunting areas to the various areas that are just for exploring, so I hope everyone takes the time to search every nook and cranny of this lush environment.

Q3: The Jungle and the Forlorn Arena make their return from past titles. How did you decide to bring back these locales in particular?

A3: The Director was the one who proposed which locales to use, so you’ll have to ask him, haha.

From what I’ve heard though, the returning locales were decided based on the monsters that were going to be in this game, and especially the Forlorn Arena was pretty much a lock-in when we decided that Lucent Nargacuga was coming back.
We created these locales to feel nostalgic to people who played those older games, but since the Jungle used to be an environment that was divided up into separate areas, there were a lot of spots where the geometry would fall apart if we simply connected the separate parts together, but if we tried to properly match the parts together, we would end up creating something that would feel different from the locale in the older games… And since there have been a lot improvements in lighting technology since the olden days as well, it’s hard to use smoke and mirrors as well, so the designer in charge of the Jungle really had to think very carefully about how to make this locale work.

The original Jungle was a locale with a lot of verticality, from underground areas to high plateaus, and I think we managed to turn it into a nice seamless three-dimensional locale with plenty of platforming elements. Because of its three-dimensional nature, we ran into some performance and rendering issues with the vertical design, but we managed to resolve this somehow with the help of the Jungle staff and other departments.

The Forlorn Arena actually has an area transition so it’s not one connected stage, but we put a lot of care into the construction of the tower and the backdrop, to make it feel familiar to series veterans. I think we managed to turn it into a more convincing version that shows a bit more of the exact nature and location of the locale.

Q4: In Sunbreak, you can go to the ruins in area 10, and even all the way down into the underground, which wasn’t previously possible, so you really want the extra mile, didn’t you?

A4: At the beginning of development, the ruins in area 10 weren’t actually accessible, but then someone was like “This is dumb! Why can’t I go there!?”… The underground area beneath the ruins used to be a passageway for wyverns only, but we reconstructed it so that the player can now access it as well. I think a lot of fans were wondering why those ruins were there on that remote island when the locale was first introduced all those years ago, so I think we did the right thing by letting the player access it now.

The designer in charge of this area was very adamant about including the underground ruins. It looks a bit like a cave temple. I like it a lot!

Q5: It’s not a locale per se, but the new base, Elgado Outpost, is also very different from Kamura Village in Rise. What kind of themes did you have in mind for this?

A5: Elgado’s theme started out as a “kingdom-like base.” It was built around the crater that ties into the story, and it was made a sort of royal fortress on the land that wasn’t swallowed into the hole. The setting for the kingdom was of a culturally advanced country with access to advanced technology, so we created some background elements like steam-based technology to add flavor.

I was also very particular about including some platforming elements. There are lots of interesting sight-seeing spots, like the Cohoot owlets, and watching down on the crater from the top of the large crane that you can reach by climbing the fortress.
There’s also a trolley driving around the outpost like a sort of roller coaster. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you should really give it a look as it moves around, especially near the Tea Shop.

We also put the various facilities closer to each other to improve usability. There’s a lot more elements crammed into one space than I originally expected, so I was really worried if the performance was going to remain stable… Again, and I feel like a broken record here, but we were able to get everything to work thanks to the environment staff and all staff members from other departments as well. I cannot thank them enough!

– Closing Comment from Shibata:

Thank you, Endo-san!

By looking at the three different areas of the Citadel, you can really see that they are closely tied into the themes of the Three Lords, the three new monsters in Sunbreak, and they offer a glimpse at what makes this new world so unique.
Even returning locales like the Jungle have been recreated to match this game by making them seamless and providing plenty of opportunities for vertical exploration. It’s fun just running and flying around!

Next time, I will be talking to Yoshitake Suzuki, the Director, about Espinas, whose appearance caused quite a stir among the fans!

The wait is over and it’s time to join the hunt! Monster Hunter Rise is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, Game Pass, PlayStation® 5, and PlayStation® 4!

Check out our launch trailer for a quick look at the action that awaits, plus some of what’s included in the newly released versions!

A quick refresher on Monster Hunter Rise – this entry in the acclaimed series infuses the series’ signature gameplay with acrobatic new abilities. The 14 signature weapons of Monster Hunter are back of course, with new unique weapon actions and the “Switch Skill Swap” ability to greatly expand your options in battle.

We hope you enjoy the Japanese-inspired lineup of unique monsters, environments, music, and many other surprises and discoveries as you begin your hunting journey!

Delivery Incoming!

New to Monster Hunter or just looking for a bit of support as you get your bearings? The Guild Cross armor series and Legacy Talisman give you high defense and useful skills to make your way through the early quests.

We’re also giving everyone some helpful in-game items with the Launch Celebration: Special Pack 1. Grab 50 Mega Potions, 30 Well-done Steak, 30 Lifepowder, and 10 Mega Barrel Bombs to get you going!

Last but not least, thanks to the efforts of the community for smashing the #MHhoneynewyear retweet goal, we’re giving everyone two welcome packs with plenty of Honey and Max Potions!

All of these items can be received via Senri the Mailman on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, Game Pass, PS5, and PS4, so be sure to grab them!

A Huge Pack of Event Quests!

Monster Hunter Rise includes a huge amount of Event Quests that feature special rewards, ranging from layered armor, stamps, gestures, titles, and more. Some Event Quest feature collaborations with other series, including Street Fighter, Okami, and Mega Man!

Also, some of these quests have rank requirements, so be sure to keep raising your Hunter Rank so you can check them out.

Filtering In…

As seen above in the launch trailer, you can take advantage of different filters to bring a different atmosphere to your hunts. Filters like Sepia, Black & White, Warring Lands-style, and more can be applied to the entire screen, and some also alter the game’s audio as well.

Happy Hunting!

That’s all for now! We hope you enjoy your hunts in Monster Hunter Rise.

Be sure to stay up to date with all things Monster Hunter by following the official Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.

Hello everyone! Koichi Shibata here, reporting from the Monster Hunter Rise dev floor!

For our next round of Monster Hunter Rise interviews, I’ll be talking to Sakata-san and Hashimoto-san, who designed the weapons and armor you can create using Malzeno’s materials!

Weapons:

Q1: All of Malzeno’s weapons have a sort of metallic look with characteristic red crystals. Did you have a particular motif or theme in mind when you designed them?

A1. Sakata-san:

Yes, the concept for Malzeno was “weapons that draw energy from congealed crystals.”

I’ll get to the congealed crystals later, so let me start by commenting on the shapes of the weapons themselves.

We were very particular about using beautiful curves for the weapons, to give them a general Westernized appearance. We also made proactive use of its three-pronged tail in the designs.

There are several reasons for this: in addition to giving each individual part a unique shape, it also creates some “openings” in the silhouette.

I’m going to have to get a bit technical here, but if you create openings in a silhouette, that means the weapon ends up looking lighter when compared to silhouettes without openings.

After checking with the design team, they agreed that this also matched Malzeno’s image, so we collectively decided to use three-pronged protrusions in a variety of ways for all of Malzeno’s weapons.

For blade-type weapons, this lends it a nice, sharp image, fit for severing. For long-range weapons like the bow, this allowed us to represent the tensile strength of the materials.

Q2: Which parts of Malzeno (like its claws or its horns, etc.) are these weapons made of?

A2: Sakata-san:

They’re made of Malzeno’s claws, which are its primary weapon, and the three spikes at the end of its tail.

In the early design stages, some of the artists wanted to include a red membrane as well, but we ended up not using that idea, in order to make the red color of the congealed crystals stand out more.

Armor:

Q3: The series has had equipment based on Western-style armor before, so how did you go about to make sure the Malzeno series stands out from the rest?

A3: Hashimoto-san:

For the Malzeno series, we based the design on Western armor motifs, to create contrast with the Japanese designs of Monster Hunter Rise, and then we added a “vampiric” element to it, to represent the monster.
We did this by adding a cape with a stand-up collar, using red membrane, to an armor set made of Malzeno’s silvery white carapace. We also looked at tailcoats and the jabots (the frilly things) around the neck of aristocratic clothing, to represent Malzeno’s noble appearance.

We then added some red in between the individual carapace parts, and gave the decorations on the hands and feet the same shape as the monster to make sure that it didn’t just look like regular old Western armor.

It’s basically a sort of “Vampire Knight” motif, but since this is the equipment for the flagship monster, we used heroic colors like white and red, and tried to keep elements of “evil” and “night” to a minimum.

Q4: What kind of differences are there between Type 1 and Type 2?

A3: Hashimoto-san:
Both of them are Western armor first and foremost, but Type 1 is a bit more orthodox, whereas Type 2 was made for players who want a bit more of a vampiric element to their armor.

■ Type 1
We wanted to establish a clear image of “Western-style armor”, so we gave it a full-face helmet, big round shoulder pads, and a chest plate. By adding a big cape on the back, we gave it a more stylish look, while also giving some grandeur to the silhouette.

■ Type 2
This one uses a circlet, so the face is visible. Type 1 has a big silhouette for the upper body, so for Type 2, we added some volume to the lower body by creating a Western dress silhouette.

Weapons & Armor:

Q5: Malzeno is known for becoming extra violent once it absorbs a certain amount of life force, so how did you incorporate this element into the designs of the weapons and armor?

A5: Sakata-san:

As I mentioned before, the concept for Malzeno’s weapons was “drawing energy from congealed crystals,” so we incorporated an effect where a red line runs along your weapon when you sheathe it, as if the energy flowing from the crystals is running through the grooves etched into the weapon itself.

At first glance, they look like pretty silver-and-gold weapons, but once you sheathe them, there’s kind of an evil aura to them. This also ties into the duality of Malzeno itself.

We also made a point of placing the crystals on the parts that form the openings I mentioned for Q1.

Hashimoto-san:

I incorporated several design elements, like red holes between the armor’s carapace for storing life force, and red slits that serve as passageways for that energy. However, the motif for the Malzeno armor series is based on Malzeno in its regular state. When it becomes more violent, it changes its form, and this form was used for the design of the “Formal Dragon” armor series which can be unlocked with an amiibo. It’s even more vampire-like than the regular Malzeno armor series.

Q6: What kind of themes did you use for the Buddy weapons and armor?

A6: Sakata-san:

Since Malzeno is the flagship monster, we tried to come up with a design that would be appealing to a wide variety of players. I think we managed to create something that looks worthy of Buddy armor based on the flagship monster.

If you look closely, it has tiny cat ears at the top of the handle. Did you notice this?

I can’t go into too much detail, but every piece of equipment in the game was designed using all of the designers’ knowledge of the game. It’s really worth it to sit down and have a close look at them when you’re taking a break between hunts.

– Closing Comment from Shibata:

Thank you, Sakata-san and Hashimoto-san!

It’s very interesting to know that the weapons and armor made with Malzeno’s materials were created to match the concept and ecology of this flagship monster. Like the monster itself, this equipment is unique and detailed, and really fits the world of Monster Hunter, even if it’s based on a vampire. You can really feel the passion of the designers!

Next time, I’ll be talking to the environment leader, Yuya Endo, about the design of the locales!

The culmination of 19 online premiers, one offline event, an LCQ and 156 World Warrior events, CAPCOM CUP IX is the epic conclusion of one of the most hard-fought Street Fighter V: Champion Edition seasons in the history of Capcom Pro Tour.

Not to be outshone, the Street Fighter League: World Championship returns to CAPCOM CUP after a thrilling season. The campions of all three leagues (Street Fighter League: Pro-JP 2022 , Street Fighter League: Pro-US 2022 and Street Fighter League: Pro-EUROPE 2022) will compete in a grueling season-ender.

Come watch the greatest Street Fighter players in the world as we crown champions for the Capcom Pro Tour and Street Fighter League 2022 seasons. The event will be held at AVALON Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, USA from February 14 through 19. To purchase tickets visit https://capcom.us/cuptickets.

Immediately prior to CAPCOM CUP, The Last Chance Qualifier will take place in Burbank, CA on February 12 and 13. The winner of this 256-player tournament will be awarded the final 47th spot in CAPCOM CUP IX!

The total prize pool for CAPCOM CUP IX is $300,000. Prize pool for the Street Fighter League: World Championship is $150,000.

NOTE: All LCQ competitors will receive a free general admission ticket to Capcom Cup as long as they participate in the tournament. To register for the LCQ visit https://capcom.us/LCQ,

Battle routine, set! Execute!!
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is now available for pre-order! Launching April 14^th, this collection brings all ten mainline games to modern platforms with online versus, Battle Chip trading, and even Download Chips previously only available in Japan!

Just ahead of the 35^th anniversary of the Mega Man franchise, the famous Director for the Battle Network series, Masakazu Eguchi, is here to share some new information about the upcoming collection. Check out the video below for more details, and read on for additional info about all the extra features that are being added alongside online play!

Did you get all that? There’s a lot to cover, but for those of you who have fond memories of participating in NetBattles, trading Battle Chips, swapping Styles, and exchanging Navi Customizer Programs, you’ll be happy to know that you can do all of these things online as well!

Both Public and Private rooms are available, allowing you to NetBattle and trade with others the world over, or just with a few friends. You can even NetBattle in ranked matches to show off your skills!

Hold on… my PET is telling me I have a new eMail. It’s a good thing I don’t have to go to my PC to read it! Let’s see… oh, it’s a message from Ucchi from Rockman Unity! He has a few things he wanted to tell you about this collection. I’ll let him take it away from here!

***

About the Retail Version of Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection

To start with, the retail package version contains two games, Volume 1 and Volume 2, on a single game card or disc. If all ten titles were combined into one package for the retail release, they’d be recognized as different games from the individual volumes. This would affect online functions, so it was necessary to keep the retail releases as Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.

In addition to a collection with all ten games included in one package, we wanted to make a more affordable offering by splitting the games across two volumes while still having a version available for those who enjoy maintaining a collection.

Technical Fixes and Adjustments from the Original Releases

The games included in this collection are based on the Japanese versions of each game, and the code had to be re-written as a result. So, for this collection, the English versions will have content equivalent to the Japanese versions of each game. Of course, the development team also made some adjustments that have been implemented! Director Eguchi shared some notes about the music that plays after you reach the ending of Mega Man Battle Network 6:

“After finishing the game, when you select the ‘Continue’ option, the tense music from the game’s ending kept playing. We’ve corrected this so that when you continue immediately after finishing the game, the normal music is played instead.”

Apparently, Mr. Eguchi forgot to include instructions for the corresponding song to start playing when you started the game again.

Your Own Personal PET

Staff members from the Mega Man Star Force series and Mega Man 11 helped create the 3D MegaMan.EXE model! Plus, he’ll be able to don the special “Hub Style” skin in Vol. 1, and the “Dark MegaMan” skin in Vol. 2 if you pre-order retail or digital versions of the game. You can switch them on and off via the main menu screen.

Although these skins can be switched on and off, they just change the way he looks, and the voice lines that you’ll hear are mostly the same as his normal voice. These special skins don’t have any effect on MegaMan’s appearance during gameplay, so feel free to turn them on and off whenever you want!

Download Chips

Download Chips – unique Battle Network chips for certain games that were previously only available at special events in Japan – will also be included! All Download Chips available for the original versions will be available in this collection, as well. While you can add Download Chips to your folder and use them as many times as you like, just like any other Battle Chip, you’ll only be able to download them once per save file. Don’t go losing them! Speaking of exclusive chips…

The Z Saber

This chip had a very unique way of being obtained in the original Mega Man Battle Network 4. Because of that, the chip could also be obtained via a lotto number at Higgsby’s shop. This number was never made public, but was recently discovered. The Z Saber chip will still be available in the Legacy Collection version of Mega Man Battle Network 4 as well.

Online Custom Screen Time-out

During online battles, the Custom Screen is set to close after 20 seconds. This is to avoid both players from staying on this screen for too long as they select their Battle Chips for the next round. Note that the exact time is still being adjusted, so this might change!

The TreeBomb Prism

The infamous TreeBomb Prism combo from Mega Man Battle Network 2 is still intact in single-player. As powerful as it is, it’s been left as-is to respect the memories of those of you who played these games in their original form. However, when it comes to online game modes, the prism has been adjusted to work more like it does in Mega Man Battle Network 3 for overall game balance purposes.

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Thanks for all that extra info, Ucchy! As you can see, the team working on Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is giving their all to create a game that will live up to the series’ history. That’s not all, though; they’ve even included the previously Japan-only Download Chips so that Operators around the world can enjoy these unique additions to gameplay.

In addition to all of the above, pre-orders of Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection will get some additional bonuses (at participating retailers). As Ucchi mentioned, additional skins for the 3D MegaMan.EXE in the launcher are included as pre-order bonuses, and two extra music tracks for the in-game Music Player are available for each volume of the collection.

We hope you enjoyed this new look at what’s on the way for Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection! We’ll have lots more to share about the game leading up to its launch on April 14^th, 2023, so be sure to follow the Mega Man Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts for all the latest news.

Street Fighter 6 is officially launching on June 2, 2023 and is available for pre-order today! Get ready to learn more about the single-player immersive mode, World Tour, along with four more characters from the international roster.

Expand Your World Tour

We previously revealed more information on World Tour a few months ago, but we’re ready to update your itinerary with another look. As magnificent as the bustling Metro City is, your travels will take you all around the world to glimpses of Jamaica, Italy, and France.

You will learn Special Moves from these Masters to incorporate into your avatar’s custom move set. You can also mix and match Special Moves from different Masters, meaning your avatar can throw out a Hadoken, a Sonic Boom, perform a Spinning Bird Kick, and a Yoga Flame, all in the same match as long as they’re using different inputs.

In their infinite wisdom – or chaos, depending on the character – the Masters won’t leave you alone on the streets. You can fight alongside a Master like Ryu by calling upon them in battle with Master Assist. They will then join the fray and help you for a period of time.

World Tour contains a host of minigames you can play in between matches in the form of part-time jobs where you can earn World Tour currency. Karate-chop bottles, enjoy Italian cuisine, parry basketballs, and more to further immerse yourselves.

Four International Characters

First appearing in Super Street Fighter II, Dee Jay is a globally popular dance music superstar who is always ready to have a good time. With a burning love for music and fighting, this Jamaican sensation drives audiences wild with hot new songs and stylish moves.

As a returning character in the series, Dee Jay retains his trademark moves that will get you in the rhythm such as Air Slasher, Double Rolling Sobat, Machine Gun Upper, and Jackknife Maximum. His new move Jus Cool is a retreating sway that can lead into kicking attacks or forward-moving maneuvers that will test his opponent’s tempo.

A super model and world champion judoka, Manon is an idealist, forever seeking self-improvement in the pursuit of beauty. She struts the catwalk of street fighting to become the world’s strongest model.

Manon’s move set is a graceful union between judo grappling and classical ballet. The elegant Manège Doré and Renversé are grabs that will increase Manon’s medal level upon successful completion. The higher her medal level, the more each grab’s properties will change.

Marisa is an up-and-coming jewelry designer from Italy who claims ancestry to ancient Greek warriors. As a child, she was inspired by a vision of the Colosseum in its prime. Today, she seeks glory with a smile—and an eye for beauty.

A powerhouse of a character, Marisa utilizes her long limbs to unleash slow yet gargantuan strikes. Marisa can use Gladius, a devastating straight punch that can be wound up for extra damage. Scutum is a defensive stance that gives her upper body armor and counters an opponent’s attack. Use Quadriga, a powerful front kick to show opponents that “This. Is. Marisa!”

JP is the head of an international NGO responsible for many successful investment projects, and the man behind Nayshall’s present prosperity. He has a beloved cat named Cybele.

JP takes control of the entire map from all angles. He uses Departure, placing a void of power in the air, which can then be turned into thorns or can be used to teleport him to its location. JP can also send out clones from across the screen with Torbalan or Embrace to keep his opponents in check.

Choose Your Edition

Pre-orders for Street Fighter 6 are available today with some knockout incentives. You’ll receive Color 10 for Chun-Li, Jamie, Manon, Dee Jay, Juri, and Ken’s Outfit 1. PS5 and PS4 players will also receive 18 in-game Special Titles and 18 Stickers featuring unique art from the launch roster to personalize your profile.

If you’re wondering which edition to pre-order, here’s a quick guide. The first is the Standard Edition, which includes Fighting Ground, World Tour, Battle Hub, and the 18-character launch roster, and will cost USD $59.99.

The Deluxe Edition includes the base game and the Year 1 Character Pass, which contains four characters, colors 3-10 for each of those characters’ Outfit 1, and a bonus of 4,200 Drive Tickets for in-game purchases. The Deluxe Edition is USD $84.99, offering a discount over getting the full game and Year 1 Character Pass separately. Stay tuned for more information on the four Year 1 characters coming to Street Fighter 6 after launch on June 2, 2023!

The Ultimate Edition is USD $104.99 and contains a whopping amount of content. You’ll get the base game and the Year 1 Ultimate Pass, which contains content from the Year 1 Character Pass, two additional costumes and their alternate colors for the four Year 1 characters, two more stages, and a bonus of 7,700 Drive Tickets.

The RVN6ACK

Finally, we have a treat for Street Fighter V: Champion Edition players! Create a CAPCOM ID and link your platform to receive Super Street Fighter II Turbo to play via the Gallery’s Game Center when Street Fighter 6 launches.

Be part of the RVN6ACK – https://game.capcom.com/cfn/sfv/sf6_campaign/

Street Fighter 6 will launch on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam on June 2, 2023.

Hunters! Let’s cut to the chase. Monster Hunter Rise is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, Game Pass, PlayStation® 5, and PlayStation® 4 on January 20, 2023! The game is up for digital preorder now starting at $39.99 and lets you snag some cute Layered Armor for your buddies.

Pre-order Monster Hunter Rise now!

Xbox

PlayStation

Platform Features

Let’s break down what you’re getting on the latest generation consoles. On Xbox Series X and PS5™, you’ll be able to choose between 4K resolution and up to 60 FPS, or 1080P resolution with up to 120 FPS. Both platforms also support 3D audio for an even more immersive hunting experience. If that’s not enough, Adaptive Trigger support for the PS5™ DualSense controller adds additional feedback when using Gunner weapons or blocking with a shield.

By the way, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can play the game at no additional cost. It’s a great way to give the series a try if you’ve been curious, so we’re looking forward to welcoming in many new hunters!  If you have Game Pass Ultimate, you can continue the hunt via Xbox Cloud Gaming as well.

The Hunt Continues…

Monster Hunter Rise will launch with all free updates up to Version 10, meaning that it will include monsters and Event Quests that were added to the Nintendo Switch and Steam versions of the game after launch. There are some great collaboration quests with fun rewards, so be sure to check them out!

The massive Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak expansion is coming in Spring 2023 and adds a new main story with plenty of monsters and new Master Rank challenges to take on. So once you’ve climbed to the top of High Rank in the base game, there will be more hunts on the horizon.

About Monster Hunter Rise

For players not familiar with Monster Hunter Rise, this entry in the acclaimed series features a host of new monsters and exciting and fresh additions to the hunting experience. Headlining the group of new monsters inspired by Japanese folklore is the flagship monster, Magnamalo. Plenty of favorites from series history are back as well!

There’s plenty to see and do in Monster Hunter Rise, starting with the game’s main story. Enter Kamura Village and fight back a catastrophic event where hordes of monsters descend upon the village known as the Rampage. You’ll meet plenty of new companions who will support you on your journey, and some you can hunt together with on Rampage Quests.

New features spice up the hunt with an emphasis on fast and fluid movement. Wirebugs are an Endemic Life that you can take advantage of to quickly zip into the air, run on walls, leap away after taking a big hit, and more. They also allow you to use new special maneuvers specific to each of the 14 signature weapons. Another feature enabled by Wirebugs is the ability to temporarily control a monster with Wyvern Riding. If the monster enters a downed state, use this ability to run them into a wall for extra damage or fight other monsters in the area.

The Palamute Canynes can accompany you into the hunt by fighting monsters and acting as a swift mount to get around the locale. Palamutes are a hunter’s best friend and always love getting pets, so don’t leave them hanging. Of course, Palico Felyne companions return as well and you can mix and match between both types, or even double up. The choice is yours!

We’re so excited to welcome all of the new hunters to Kamura and hope you have a great experience discovering everything that awaits. We love to hear from you, so be sure to let us know what you think on the official Monster Hunter Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Happy hunting!

Hello everyone! Koichi Shibata here, reporting from the Monster Hunter Rise dev floor! For our next Monster Hunter Rise interview, I’ll be talking to Aehwa Shin, who created and supervised the design for Sunbreak’s flagship monster, Malzeno!

Q1: To start off, could you give us a quick explanation of what you worked on for Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak?

A1: I continued doing the same work I did on Rise, i.e. being the main monster designer, and I created and supervised the design of the new monsters Malzeno, Lunagaron, Garangolm, and Gaismagorm, as well as the new endemic creatures.

Q2: What were some of the themes you had in mind when you designed the flagship monster Malzeno?

A2: The main theme was “vampire,” and I also gave him characteristics of a “noble baron” and a “knight in silver shining armor.” When we were trying to come up with ways of expressing the “vampire” element, we came up with many designs that were kind of dark and grim, with some looking bat-like, others looking more like a mosquito, and some of them looking very gloomy.

We felt these elements kind of lacked punch for a flagship monster, so when we started thinking about how we could spice it up a little, we came up with the “baron” and “silver armor” themes, while giving it a personality based on key words like “noble” and “cunning.” For its biological motifs, we looked at snakes and raptors, and by giving it a tough exoskeleton, we felt we had managed to give it the power you’d expect from a flagship monster and an elder dragon.

The word “Dracula” originally meant “son of a dragon,” so we actually deliberately gave it some standard dragon features. Also, the area around its eyes looks kind of sunken, which is a reference to the pale faces with dark rings under their eyes you tend to see in the design of vampires. When you see it in motion it’s pretty obvious, but its wings were based on a cape, and the fins on its waist have a tailcoat motif. The Qurio leeching on the area around its neck look like a jabot, and the characteristic fins on its neck call to mind the stand-up collars vampires often have, all in service of giving this monster an air of nobility.

We were also very aware of the contrast we wanted it to have with Magnamalo.

Eastern vs. Western, tiger vs. dragon, samurai vs. knights, dark vs. bright.

The most notable feature of this contrast is its face. We started out with a bat-like design, and we considered laying it on thick by giving it a creepy creature vibe, but we ended up with something more sophisticated. So you’ve got the rugged appearance of Magnamalo on one end, and the sharp, clean-cut features of Malzeno on the other. This doesn’t just go for their motifs and coloring, but for their personalities as well. Magnamalo is wild and brutish, whereas Malzeno is shrewd and elegant. Magnamalo represents strength, Malzeno represents intelligence. We were very thorough in exploring this contrast.

Q3: Malzeno is different from the other monsters in that it manages to function normally in symbiosis with the Qurio. Is there some kind of ecological difference?

A3: This is related to Malzeno’s unique characteristics and its formidable strength. It also ties into the history of the Kingdom and Gaismagorm, so I’ll explain with the help of what Suzuki-san, the Director, has mentioned to me in the past.

Malzeno used to live in harmony with humans, with neither party encroaching on the other party’s territory, but after many centuries, a gigantic hole was opened near Malzeno’s turf by “the lord of the underground” (i.e. Gaismagorm), and lots of Qurio started pouring out, and in the blink of an eye, they started stealing the life force of every creature in the environment. Malzeno looked like it was going to be covered in Qurio and have its energy stolen as well…but before long “antibodies” started to form within Malzeno’s body.

This allowed it to absorb the life force of the Qurio into its own body, creating a symbiotic relationship with these creatures. However, as a trade-off, its latent aggression started showing, and it fell into madness, resulting in it using the Qurio to attack other monsters and absorb their energy, growing ever stronger… This would eventually lead to it going through a morphological change.

Q4: Some of Malzeno’s attacks involve it very suddenly changing position, almost as if it’s able to teleport. How does it do this?

A4: The idea is that it builds up an overwhelming amount of energy in its body, which it then uses to propel itself forward. It derives this energy from the Qurio, and similarly to how it turns darker when it changes shape, it also briefly turns pitch-black when “teleporting.” This ability is also related to the Qurio that have assembled on its chest. It basically uses the energy it absorbs from the Qurio on its chest to propel itself forward.

Malzeno’s movement was designed to contrast with Magnamalo’s movement as well, with Magnamalo “kicking the ground to dash forward” and Malzeno “thrusting forward as if it’s being pushed.”

You could say that Magnamalo’s explosion effects and Malzeno’s wave motion effects are in contrast with each other as well.

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Q5: Similar to Magnamalo in Rise, Malzeno has a tail with a very unique shape, Why does it look like this, and how does it use its tail to attack? Did you decide on the design with its movements in mind, or were the movements based on its design? How did you communicate with all of the designers involved to coordinate this?

A5: “Did we decide on the design with its movements in mind, or were the movements based on its design?” We absolutely started with the design first. We had an image in mind of it sitting at a long table with a row of candlesticks, elegantly stirring a glass of wine, so we gave its tail a shape that resembles knives and candlesticks.

The animators then created the animations, We had to make sure its movements didn’t come across as too barbaric though. Both its visual design and its animations had to preserve that image of it elegantly stirring a glass of wine.

– Closing Comment from Shibata:

Thank you, Shin-san!

It’s interesting to know that Sunbreak’s flagship monster, Malzeno, wasn’t just based on a vampire, but that it was designed to stand out in contrast with Rise’s flagship monster, Magnamalo.

The more I find out about how Sunbreak’s themes were incorporated into everything from the base and locales to the monsters themselves, the more interesting it gets!

Next time, I’ll be talking to Sakata-san and Hashimoto-san, who designed the weapons and armor you can create using Malzeno’s materials!

Hello everyone! Koichi Shibata here, reporting from the Monster Hunter Rise dev floor!

For our next Monster Hunter Rise interview, I’ll be talking to Daisuke Wakahara, who’s in charge of the cutscenes and monster intros of this game!

Q1: To start off, could you give us a quick explanation of what you worked on for Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak?

A1: I’m one of the designers on Sunbreak. I’m the leader of the cutscene unit, and I’m in charge of coming up with designs for the various cutscenes and overseeing their production. I also helped out with the direction, even though I wasn’t directly involved in making the cutscenes themselves.

Q2: Could you tell us the general flow for creating a cutscene? And how much time does it take to make one movie?

A2: First, I have to gather information from all members of the dev team, and then determine what kind of cutscenes will be required for the game. From there, I start creating the designs for each cutscene as soon as they’ve been okayed for production. This means I first start by creating a design document, and then I hammer out the details by talking to the cutscene artists, everyone involved with other elements regarding cutscene production, and finally the Director. Once the structure and content of the movie has been decided, the actual production starts. Generally, the production flow is as follows:

“Storyboard” > “Animatic” > “Animation & Camera work” > “Lighting & VFX” > “Sound”.

As for how long it takes to get from the storyboard to the sound production, well, it depends on the content of the cutscene, but in case of the monster intros for instance, you’re looking at about 6 months for one cutscene (of course, we work on several cutscenes simultaneously).

Q3: You also worked on the monster intros and story cutscenes for the base game Monster Hunter Rise. Could you tell us a bit about the differences in direction between Rise and Sunbreak?

A3: The world in Monster Hunter Rise was themed around Japan and Yōkai, so we made sure the cutscenes matched that theme. From early on, we wanted to make each monster look like a kind of supernatural creature, and I remember having a lot of fun doing research into the various Yōkai stories across the country and throughout history.

Sunbreak, on the other hand, has a very different world from Rise, so we had to change the approach to cutscene production as well. I talked to everyone involved to give the cutscenes more of a Western fable vibe, and to make them sound more like records in a document, which resulted in what you see in the game.

Both Rise and Sunbreak feature narration in the cutscenes, but Rise used a poetic story-telling style, using a unique biwa (lute) played by Tomoyoshi Kakushin, a Satsuma biwa performer, whereas Sunbreak had a more serious and impactful narrational style by Yui Ishikawa in Japanese and Valerie Arem in English. I think both styles offer something great to the series that is worth experiencing. We also did voice over in Monster Hunter language for Rise and Sunbreak, so I highly recommended you check that out in the options menu if you’re interested.

Q4: Is there anything in particular that you always try to keep in mind or that you aim for when waking cutscenes for a game?

A4: As I’m sure everyone is aware, the monsters in Monster Hunter have very detailed ecology settings. These settings offer very valuable information to the player for getting to know the ecosystem surrounding each monster, so we made sure to preserve these settings when designing the monster intros. I talked with all of the people involved to make sure that each movie presents a believable, living, breathing world.

Q6: Do you have any final comments for the fans?

A6: We’ve still got a number of updates coming, and we’re all working hard on exciting new story cutscenes as well, so I hope everyone looks forward to it! We look forward to your continued support of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak!

– Closing Comment from Shibata:

Thank you, Wakahara-san!

Both Rise and Sunbreak have their own unique monster intros that match their world design, and you can listen to them not just in Japanese and English, but in Monster Hunter language as well! You can rewatch monster intros and story cutscenes from the Gallery in your room anytime you want, so it might be interesting to go back and have another look at the movies in Rise.

Next time, I’ll be talking to Aehwa Shin, who created and supervised the design for Sunbreak’s flagship monster Malzeno!