Siliconera had the chance to speak to Capcom's Andrew Szymanski recently--the producer of Lost Planet 3 and the lead on the new Strider game--who claims that if you really want Capcom to make the game you want, or localize a game you want, all you have to do is say so.

On the subject of E.X. Troopers, he said that if fans are really adamant about bringing it to the West, they don't need an online petition, just fan support:

Whether it’s E.X. Troopers or any other Japan-only games we do or even games we are considering doing, the best thing we can get is input. I don’t need an online petition. I just need people to go on the community sites, e-mail some of our community guys, and say these are the kinds of games we want to see.

Whether they are games released overseas that they want in other territories—again what made Strider possible was having that backup. James [Vance] and I can walk into a boardroom and say we want to make Strider, but they’re going to say, ‘Who cares about Strider anymore?’ These people care. You have got to be able to drop that big printout on that table.

Siliconera pointed out how Mega Man fans may react to such a statement, to which Szymanski replied (with a laugh):

Well, we have to take it one at a time. Strider was the right opportunity at the right time with the right partner. We are always looking at what we can do down the line and in the future as well. Capcom wants to bring stuff like Strider and take games people know and bring them back to do cool things with them.

Funny how I just recently lamented the apparent death of the Darkstalkers franchise (so soon after its failed "resurrection"), even with fan support. So one has to beg the question: will requesting and showing support for your favorite franchises do anything?