Konami Announces Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, The First Mainline Entry in Over a Decade
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Konami has announced Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, the first mainline entry in the iconic franchise in over a decade, developed in collaboration with Motion Twin and Evil Empire for a 2026 release.
For a franchise that essentially helped build an entire subgenre of gaming, Castlevania has spent a surprisingly long time on the bench. Konami has officially changed that during Sony's State of Play broadcast by revealing Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, the first completely original mainline entry in the series in over a decade. Set for a 2026 release to coincide with the franchise's 40th anniversary, the game takes place 23 years after Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse and brings back fan favorite protagonist Trevor Belmont for a brand new side scrolling adventure.
What makes this announcement genuinely exciting is the talent behind it. Konami is collaborating with Motion Twin and Evil Empire, the teams responsible for the massive indie hit Dead Cells. This partnership makes complete sense given how successful the Dead Cells Return to Castlevania crossover DLC was for both studios. While the debut trailer confirms that the core Metroidvania exploration and combat fans expect are fully intact, the visual presentation borrows heavily from the distinct artistic flair of Dead Cells. This stylistic shift has already sparked plenty of debate across community spaces and creator streams, but the pedigree of the developers guarantees that the mechanical execution will be worth watching.
Even with fewer interactive releases in recent years, Castlevania has stayed culturally relevant through adaptations like the Netflix animated series and crossover events across multiple live service platforms. Bringing the franchise back as a major console and PC release shows that Konami sees the enduring value of its legacy properties in modern gaming culture. As we get closer to launch, the real test will be seeing how this indie powered collaboration balances classic gothic horror with modern design sensibilities. You can read the original report over at Game Rant.
Tags: Castlevania, Konami, Metroidvania, Gaming News, PlayStation
Original article: Game Rant