Capcom's Abandoned Reboot Plans: The Untold Story Behind Strider, Final Fight, and Power Stone Reboots

Capcom's Legacy of Reboots: Strider's Success and the Lost Revivals of Final Fight and Power Stone Capcom is renowned for keeping its legendary franchises alive, whether through acclaimed new releases like Street Fighter 6 or retro game collections such as Capcom Arcade Stadium and Capcom Fighting Collection 2, both available on platforms like the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation.

However, with a history spanning several decades, Capcom’s deep vault of intellectual properties includes dormant classics that many fans feel are overdue for a modern revival.

As recently revealed by veteran developer Tony Barnes, a series of exciting Capcom reboots almost saw the light of day during the mid-2010s, before a pivotal shift in studio ownership. The Strider Reboot and Double Helix’s Involvement In 2014, Double Helix Games—formed from a merger of The Collective and Shiny Entertainment—successfully rebooted Capcom’s classic action franchise Strider, releasing to positive reviews across PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC.

This remake was lauded for capturing the spirit of the original, igniting hopes for more collaborations between Capcom and the Californian studio.

Tony Barnes, who led the project alongside Capcom’s Koji Oda, recalled how this success led Double Helix to pitch further revivals of Capcom’s inactive properties.

According to Barnes, immediately after Strider’s launch, the studio was considered for a potential Strider 2; however, instead of focusing on a direct sequel, they redirected their creativity toward new pitches for other dormant Capcom IPs. Ambitious Pitches: Power Stone, Final Fight, and More Barnes recounted that among the properties pitched for revival, the team considered a variety of Capcom favorites.

While Mega Man was discussed as a candidate "from a business perspective," Barnes expressed personal reluctance to tackle the storied franchise due to its passionate and divided fanbase.

Barnes believed the best fit would have been the Mega Man X series, given its similarities to Strider’s gameplay style. More intriguing for Barnes, however, were opportunities to modernize lesser-known classics such as Black Tiger and Forgotten Worlds.

He felt these IPs could benefit from modern game mechanics while flying under the radar, permitting more creative freedom.

The reboot conversations that progressed the furthest, though, revolved around Power Stone and, especially, Final Fight.

Barnes explained that the core challenge in reviving Final Fight was striking a balance between innovation and authenticity.

He envisioned a Final Fight game employing the visual assets and stylized graphics of Street Fighter IV, aiming to solidify it as part of Capcom’s broader universe while offering a fresh yet recognizable experience. A Sudden End: Amazon’s Acquisition and Shelved Plans Despite the momentum behind these proposals, the ambitious plans were abruptly halted following Amazon’s acquisition of Double Helix Games in 2014.

The studio was integrated into Amazon Game Studios, restricting it from working on external intellectual properties.

As Barnes explained, this corporate shift led to the cancellation of all ongoing Capcom reboot pitches, and projects such as Killer Instinct were reassigned to Iron Galaxy. Although these potential revivals of titles like Strider 2, Final Fight, and Power Stone never came to fruition, the success of the 2014 Strider reboot remains a testament to Double Helix’s understanding of classic game design.

Capcom’s legacy on platforms like the Nintendo Switch and its ongoing stewardship of fan-favorite franchises ensures that hope remains alive for the return of these classic games in the future.

Capcom Power Stone Strider Double Helix Final Fight Nintendo Switch Koji Oda Tony Barnes Amazon Game Studios Street Fighter Black Tiger Forgotten Worlds Iron Galaxy