15th January 2003, 3:02 PM
If it was false at the time, it would take a lot of reconsidering on Namco's part to say "hey, since some rumor mill seems to enjoy the idea, why don't we get in a huge and complicated talk with 3 different companies to get some of their mascot characters in this game?". No, I do believe this was true at the time as well.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)