Capcom prepping new IP for kids

With the Mega Man series effectively mothballed in recent years, Capcom has a child-sized gap in its portfolio. The publisher is looking to fill that gap this year, as today it announced a new intellectual property aimed at elementary school age boys, Gaist Crusher.

Gaist Crusher will debut as a 3DS game with a bevy of supporting tie-in projects. The game will see an anime project from the studio behind Naruto and Bleach, Pierrot Co., Ltd. It will also see a line of toys from Bandai, manga series in Saikyo Jump and V Jump, and music produced by Avex Entertainment.

Described by Capcom as a "custom armor action" game, Gaist Crusher is intended to combine the outfit's experience making Mega Man content for kids with the multiplayer focus of its Monster Hunter franchise.

"With the number of children in Japan declining, Capcom plans to use this project to attract interest in new brands and firmly establish these brands by continuously launching a diverse range of content," according to the publisher.

Gaist Crusher for the 3DS is set to launch this winter.