Capcom Announces Street Fighter x Mega Man. Yes, Seriously. And It's Free.

Two of Capcom’s biggest franchises are celebrating quarter-century anniversaries right next to each other. Street Fighter has enjoyed all sorts of lavish promotions: a fancy chess set and an anniversary edition chock full of games and collectible goodies.

What’s coming for poor, ol’ neglected Mega Man, though? The poor robot hasn’t had a release in years, after all, and fans are very upset about it. One fan took matters in his own hands and made a game. It’s coming out in little more than a week and it’s free.

Revealed exclusively here at Kotaku, Street Fighter x Mega Man is an all-new retro-style game that pits the Blue Bomber against Ryu, Ken and six other World Warriors. The game’s development was spearheaded by Capcom super-fan Seow “Sonic” Zong Hui, who also happens to be a pro competitive gamer. Kotaku will have more on SFxMM soon. For now, here’s the official press release from Capcom:

Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, recently shared plans to release a new fan-made crossover title featuring two of the company’s most iconic franchises. Street Fighter® X Mega Man® will celebrate the closing ceremonies of the 25th Anniversary of Street Fighter® and kick off the festivities taking place in 2013, when Mega Man takes center stage as “The Blue Bomber” reflects on his own 25 years of gaming greatness. The Street Fighter X Mega Man game will be released as a PC download beginning on December 17, 2012 and will be offered to fans for FREE through Capcom’s official website, Capcom-Unity.com

“Our fans have been so supportive of the 25th Anniversary efforts on Street Fighter, that we wanted to provide one last surprise and token of our appreciation,” said Christian Svensson, SVP of Consumer Software at Capcom USA. “This game symbolizes the passion and dedication of our fans and with the 25th Anniversary of Mega Man coming up, we felt it was our duty to bring this wonderful experience to everyone who has shared the last 25 years with us and both of these celebrated franchises.”

Involving a true collaboration between a company and its fans, Street Fighter X Mega Man was created and developed by Singapore native Seow Zong Hui (aka “Sonic”), with direction and support provided by Capcom. The game stars Mega Man and features eight original Street Fighter-themed levels and bosses inspired by the legendary fighting game series. Each boss character will utilize their individual strategies and special moves against Mega Man, as players attempt to mega blast their way through each uniquely charming 8-bit world.

In addition to the retro look and feel that embodies Street Fighter X Mega Man, an original soundtrack created by Luke Esquivel (aka “A_Rival”) provides a classic backdrop to the action. Amazing mash-ups of memorable Street Fighter and Mega Man® themes complete the crossover of the century!