Better late than never. Kickstarter backers of Mighty No. 9 may finally be receiving their physical rewards, and the promised portable versions for the Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita are also in the works, claims developer Level-5 Comcept.
The Kickstarter campaign update (only visible to campaign backers) comes almost a year after the launch of the main game - and almost four years after the initial launch of the campaign, as well as a series of PR and launch disasters coupled with a game that disappointed many (including our own Bryan Heraghty).
According to a post from Destructoid, the portable versions of Mighty No. 9 went into production in May, with a release date simply left as "2017". The physical rewards that many had also assumed were canceled are also still in the works, with mid-August 2017 penciled in for those rewards.
Destructoid also claims that this is the first time that backers were informed about the status of the portable versions of Mighty No. 9, and it's probably not unfair to say that hype for both the portable versions and the physical rewards has largely faded.
Destructoid's account depicts a chaotic mess, with Fangamer - the fellows behind the physical rewards - claiming that they were waiting on information from Comcept before they were able to start production. They also speculate that Level-5's purchase of Comcept may have led to a significant kick into gear for the Mighty No. 9 developer.
Quick Take
What a mess. The debacle with Mighty No. 9 has single-handedly led to the demise of Comcept's reputation as a development studio and has largely destroyed the credibility of Megaman creator, Keiji Inafune, who oversaw the project. Still, if they can get the physical rewards out as soon as possible, and get the portable versions on shelves as soon as possible, they may be able to rebuild some bridges with both their backers and the gaming community as a whole.
Did you back Mighty No. 9? Are you still waiting for rewards? Let us know in the comments below.