I think this is a pretty interesting topic to bring up, as it sort of discusses the series as a whole.

As most of you know, DMC4 is currently said to take place after DMC1, but nothing's been said on DMC2. I recently picked up DMC2 myself actually, and while I think it's not a terrible game in general, it's a terrible DMC title. Despite this, it's still apart of the continuity of the series until otherwise stated.

Anyway, as most of you have probably seen, DMC2 Dante wasn't exactly the most talkative guy alive, and he wasn't all that much of a show-off. Now, I don't think it's humanly possible for Dante to be so quiet, and it should be obvious something negative, or on a more extreme note, tragic, affected him pre-DMC2. As stated earlier, DMC4 is known to be before DMC2, and if that's the case than DMC2 is currently the last stop in the DMC timeline. Due to the inconclusive ending of the game itself however, it's unknown whether Dante actually managed to get out in time, or whether he actually IS trapped in Hell (though the latter seems more likely).

So, my question to you guys is, would you like DMC2 to be explained in DMC4, and have the "Dante ending up in hell" concept as a possible plot for DMC5, or would you rather Capcom just scrap DMC2 altogether and remove it from the continuity? In my opinion, I think that although the game was negativley recieved by most fans, the ending is something a little too major to be overlooked, and on top of that it would be a cool concept for DMC5, among other things. An adventure in full-fledged Hell would be nice IMO.

What do you all think?

quote Lord Bacon

I recently picked up DMC2 myself actually, and while I think it's not a terrible game in general, it's a terrible DMC title.

I agree with you in that point, if you compare DMC2 with other action/adventures games aside from DMC1 and 3, it's an average game, but when you do compare with DMC1 and 3 it's really bad, BUT it still has a really low quality production in every aspect of it.

Now about the main topic, I think that if DMC2 will be considered part of the time-line and DMC4 takes place before this one, it would be necessary to explain why Dante has a completely different personality in DMC2, but I prefer DMC2 not to be considered part of the main story and that DMC4 will be considered the game after DMC1 and then DMC5.
About DMC2 ending I think that it would be an interesting plot-device to happen either in DMC4 or 5(for a final confrontation or to be in hell most of the game, the latter would be better)

quote reaver11

And Dante was never trapped in hell. It showed (or should I say, we heard) him return at the end of the credits,

True, but that could've been anything. Plus judging from the ending it looked like Dante didn't even bother going back through the portal and just went straight ahead into hell (plus his final line in the game implies this).

I realize that most people think that DMC2 was the worst game in the series, but it's never been stated that it's no longer part of the offical timeline. The game itself can really easily be tied into DMC4 too. Really, it's the perfect time to do address the game and get it out of the way. I don't like having the idea of Capcom just let the game sit there un-noticed. It's still in the timeline, and it's either address it now, or offically announce that it's removed from the continuity. Like I said before, I don't like the idea of it just awkwardly being there having no mention in the future DMC games whatsoever.

quote reaver11

If they can explain DMC2 by saying that the Dante in that game is the real Dante's cloned, lame as hell, twin, then I would buy that. But if it isn't that, then I think the game can just be forgotten like a bad dream. As a stand alone title, it isn't bad, but as a DMC title, it *bleep*.

And Dante was never trapped in hell. It showed (or should I say, we heard) him return at the end of the credits.

I'd much rather DMC4 be the true sequel to DMC1. DMC2 can be long forgotten.

Why can't it just be the sequel of DMC2? It would make more sense and less confusion about the whole story.

dmc2 is canon, whether you like it or not. if it werent then dmc3 would be called dmc2

quote Lord Bacon

it's never been stated that it's no longer part of the offical timeline. The game itself can really easily be tied into DMC4 too. Really, it's the perfect time to do address the game and get it out of the way. I don't like having the idea of Capcom just let the game sit there un-noticed. It's still in the timeline, and it's either address it now, or offically announce that it's removed from the continuity. Like I said before, I don't like the idea of it just awkwardly being there having no mention in the future DMC games whatsoever.

I agree with you, DMC2 may be bad but it exists and it won't disappear even if they remove it form the time-line, so they should explain in some way(let's hope it isn't lame or worse) why DMC2 was so different from the "usual" Dante, the fact that DMC4 may replace DMC2 part of the time-line doesn't change the fact that DMC2 exists.
They should explain what actually happened between DMC1 and DMC2 with DMC4 that would help a lot, or if DMC4 is after DMC2 put some flash backs.
Of course they could make a DMC2 re-make and modify it to make it coherent in some way

quote Lord Bacon

but it's never been stated that it's no longer part of the offical timeline.

True, but most fans practically consider it non-canon now, I don't know Capcom's stance on it though though they'll likely still consider it official even though they admitted themselves the game was sub-par.

When I think of continuity, I also think of the weapons as in, what the hell did Dante do with all those cool weapons? Now granted, we don't want identical weapons from game to game because that would just get repetitive, but are you telling me that Dante would just throw away weapons like Alastor and Ifrit? Rebellion, Ebony and Ivory all make repeat appearances, granted they hold more personal significance than the other weapons, but it's still something that's never explained.

quote Deathman48

True, but most fans practically consider it non-canon now [...]

Which is utterly laughable, I think. The whims of the fans are irrelevant to canon. We have no say on what's canon at the end of the day, that's entirely Capcom's prerogative, and Capcom's only. So far, they do count it as part of the timeline, so it is canon. Maybe they'll retcon it later, maybe they won't, maybe they won't even *care* to explain, but in all, it's not up to us gamers to decide if Capcom made Devil May Cry 2. We don't have to love it, but the fact remains, it is there.

I think it would be cool to explain his attitude in DMC2 by some tragic event that takes place in DMC4 (maybe the definite loss of Vergil, the last of his family, but that may be closing all the hanging threads about Dante too soon), but I won't be mad if they don't. The timeline (and canon *cough*) of this series seems to be pretty elastic, so if they don't explore it now, perhaps they'll do it later. It also allows them to jump in the past, like they did with DMC3, insert games between others, or jump far ahead in the future maybe in another installment, who knows? The series doesn't necessarily has to be linear to be good or popular. Look at Castlevania, it's pretty much all over the place and yet lasted for how long now with how many games? So, personally, as long as the game his fun and Dante remains the fun-loving, bragging half-demon we know and love, the new game's place on the timeline doesn't bother me too much.

And personally, I think Dante sticks his bests trophies on the walls with his shiniest weapons

quote Tenken

Concerning the comment about "whims of the fans," you would be surprised. Comments and fanboy/fangirl rants about a game in a timeline can go a long way in saying things to companies about games. Fans complained about DMC2, DMC3 turned up good enough to convert NG players.

I'm highly skeptical about this, honestly. I'd bet that, more than anything, poor sells and loads of return forced Capcom to make a better game, much more than the ranting and wanking and the tearing of hair of a bunch of mere fans on message boards most of the team working on DMC most probably doesn't and can't even read. Money >>>>>> unhappy fans.

quote Tenken

There is also a difference in acknowledging a game is canon and acknowledging it's existance. Everyone knows DMC2 is there, doesn't mean it's cannon to them.

But see, that doesn't make sense to me. The game is there. Capcom says it's part of the timeline. By the very definition of canon, by saying this Capcom establishes that this game, the events of it, the characters in it, etc. canonically are part of Dante's universe. Yes, you can ignore this if, I dunno, you write a fanfiction or something and want to base yourself on DMC3!Dante's personality, but just going all "yeah, but that game sucks, so it's not canon!" is just stupid, because you (general you), even if you are the most H4RDK0R3!1! DMC fan that ever existed, have absolutely no say in what is canon and what isn't. The creator(s) of the game/TV show/movie/book/whatever make the canon. No amount of screaming or gnashing of teeth will change that fact.

The truth of the matter, is we cannot change the canon. DMC2 is canon and all our little stories and fanfictions aren't. Some people accept this and just write alternative possibilities for fun (as is the cornerstone of all fanfiction), others choose to ignore it, but that in no way cancels it. They're simply in denial, just like I could sit here and insist I was God and refuse to accept anything else, in the end it means nothing. In the end, they're games and we're gamers, they get made and we buy them, play and enjoy whatever of it we like and can, Devil May Cry 2 is optional, but Playstation 2 is optional, too.

Oh, but LS does have one point, I do not know this, but I doubt people complaining on forums did little to sway the development of DMC3. They just realised from poor sales that sticking the DMC logo and Dante on the front cover of a game does not ensure success, so they're being more careful now, IMHO.