Capcom used to suck a lot in 2009.
https://www.rockman-corner.com/2019/06/cancelled-mega-man-star-force-4-concept.html
To the best of our source's recollection, Mega Man Star Force 4 aimed to be more tonally "mature" than previous entries to attract an older demographic. It would have starred a slightly older, more hardened Geo Stellar (redesigned with new clothes and a new Visualizer) and a brand-new character named Kazuma (pictured on the left). Kazuma was a genius hacker and a direct descendant of Lan Hikari's family. The general premise of the game involved Geo and Kazuma crossing paths and becoming outlaw hackers. The dynamic duo would eventually be sought by the Satella Police. Reward for their capture was a hefty 8,000,000 Zenny a piece.
"Hacking" was intended to be the theme or gimmick of Star Force 4, comparable to Star Force 3's "Noise". How hacking would have contributed to gameplay, among other things, is beyond our source's recollection. It was a long time ago.
And that, really, is all we have to share on this ill-fated project for today. It took me a little while to wrap my brain around it but there it is: Star Force 4 was almost, almost a thing. From Mega Man Universe to Mega Man Legends 3, you can go about your day knowing that Star Force 4 now exists in that grand ether where all other cancelled Mega Man projects go. And hey, maybe one day Capcom will revisit it. The Mega Man franchise is in far better condition than it was back in the early 2010s. The "dark era" is over. Anything from this point forward is possible.