...Eternal Champions, if they twist the formula up on it and make something more akin to a Power Stone clone, it would be WAY more fitting with the original characters of EC. But, I would remain cautiously optimistic on both, but who knows.
But then, it's not Eternal Champions, it's a different game. And if they're going to make a different game instead of pleasing the few fans who have been waiting 30 years for a new EC, why wouldn't they make it with like Sonic or some other SEGA franchise/mashup?
Eternal Champions had uniquely identifiable characters, a storyline (super unique for the time), fun fatalities and just an overall fun vibe. It wasn't the best game but there was a ton of potential. And the CD version just made it even better.
OK. It's nice that there are still some people with fond memories of playing this as a kid.
Nothing about that would lead to a sequel now. It doesn't have particularly original fighting mechanics, the storyline would have to start from scratch since buyers generally wouldn't have any familiarity or maybe even memories of the roots, those unique characters are now pretty outdated and don't have any lasting fan following (has anybody ever been out there cosplaying as EC characters at cons?), fatalities don't sell games anymore, and even fans say, "it wasn't the best game..."
I'm not saying it's not a fine memory for SEGA fans, and I don't think it's
impossible that SEGA could find a way in or an external developer with a hot concept for an Eternal Champions reboot, but there's not a demand and there's not much leftover conceptual value in this brand. It was just one of many of those "Street Fighter Killer" games made when fighters were super popular, and those times are past. Re-release Eternal Champions: Challenge From the Dark Side on Steam/eShop and make fans contented that way.