Canon

Canon refers to the body of works taking place in a fictional world that are widely considered to be official or authoritative. The Mega Man franchise has its own canon body of works that are recognized by its creators, such as Capcom. Generally, the mainline numbered video games released by Capcom are always part of canon. Where canon can become confusing is with spin-off games and non-video game media. This page will contain sources and explanations as to which works are part of each era's canon, and which are not.

Classic era

• All numbered video games (Mega Man to Mega Man 11) are canon.

X era

• All numbered video games (Mega Man X to Mega Man X8) are canon. However, Zero's ending cutscene in Mega Man X6 has been moved to be set as the final event in the era's timeline.

Zero era

• All numbered video games (Mega Man Zero to Mega Man Zero 4) are canon.

ZX era

• Both main video games (Mega Man ZX and Mega Man ZX Advent) are canon.
• The canceled Rockman ZXC is non-canon, as it was never officially released.

Legends era

• Both numbered video games (Mega Man Legends and Mega Man Legends 2) are canon.
• The canceled Mega Man Legends 3 is non-canon, as it was never officially released.

Battle Network era

• All numbered video games (Mega Man Battle Network to Mega Man Battle Network 6) are canon. Differences between versions, such as Mega Man Battle Network 3: Blue Version and Mega Man Battle Network 3: White Version, rarely have enough bearing to require scrutiny.

Star Force era

• All numbered video games (Mega Man Star Force to Mega Man Star Force 3) are canon. Differences between versions, such as Mega Man Star Force 3: Black Ace and Mega Man Star Force 3: Red Joker, rarely have enough bearing to require scrutiny.
• The canceled Mega Man Star Force 4 is non-canon, as it was never officially released.

Crossovers

Crossover games, especially those that do not bear the Mega Man branding as part of their title, are generally considered to be non-canon. However, those that are part of the Mega Man brand require further scrutiny.

• Rockman Tennis is a simple mobile game with little to no story, so it is safe to assume that it is non-canon.
• Rockman.EXE Operate Shooting Star requires further research.
• Rockman ✕over is a time-travel story with evidence suggesting it is indeed canon, occurring between the Classic era and X era in the timeline.
• Mega Man X DiVE is a meta-narrative that breaks the fourth wall, such as a Player who is a fan of the Mega Man series itself starring as the main character of the story.

Other media

Most works referred to as "other media" on the Mega Man Wiki are not considered part of the main canon. Some works, such as Captain N: The Game Master or Mega Man: Fully Charged, have their own self-contained worlds that clearly diverge from the video games. Other works that adapt material from the video games, such as the 1994 Mega Man series, the anime Mega Man NT Warrior, or the Rockman X manga by Yoshihiro Iwamoto, are also treated as their own independent worlds despite directly drawing on the video games.