The video game industry is in a period of revival. Lots of old franchise that haven't been in the spotlight in a while are getting remasters and reboots. For instance, Nintendo is finally releasing a fifth Metroid game after twenty years of silence. God of War is back to the forefront after a hiatus, and Microsoft is in the middle of reviving a few influential franchises too, namely Fable and Perfect Dark. One wonders, then, if there's any chance of a Castlevania revival in the near future. Konami's premiere vampire-hunting action-adventure series is such a classic that it's frankly surprising that it's taking a break at all.
Castlevania is more than a recognizable franchise — it's a major influencer. It lends its name to the Metroidvania genre, a type of side-scrolling action game inspired by the classic Metroid and Castlevania games that rocked the 1990s and early 2000s. Netflix's Castlevania anime, developed in conjunction with Konami, indicates that there's lots of love for the universe of the Belmonts. On top of that, vampire media seems to be making a bit of a comeback in general. There's no better time than now for Castlevania to sink its teeth into the game industry and offer fans some new games.
Good Signs for Castlevania
The Castlevania show, which wrapped up its final season recently, is a huge contributor to the IP's current level of popularity. While it took some liberties with Castlevania lore, it ended up offering an exciting, refreshing perspective on the Belmont saga that garnered a ton of fans. Even though the show is over, its influence isn't ending there. Netflix already has plans for a new Castlevania show starring Richter Belmont and Maria Renard. If the first show's quality is anything to go off of, hype for Castlevania isn't going anywhere. The first show will simply pass on its mantle to the spin-off.
More traditional pieces of Castlevania media could be drawing eyes soon too. Some signs indicate that certain Castlevania games are getting remastered or remade. A few different countries recently issued ratings for a Castlevania Advance Collection, suggesting that the games from the Game Boy Advance era will return soon. These games marked a transitional period in the Castlevania series, introducing some changes that were generally well received and left a mark on the franchise as a whole. It'd be great to see some remasters come forth; if they're successful, then Konami might feel encouraged to make new Castlevania titles for current consoles.
Castlevania and the Vampire's Return
It certainly doesn't hurt Castlevania's chances at a comeback when vampires are talking about vampires a little bit again. Redfall, the multiplayer vampire hunting video game from Bethesda and Arkane Studios, turned a lot of heads at E3 2021, and already seems poised to refresh the genre with some new ideas on how vampires work. Vampire: The Masquerade is also getting a couple new entries soon too. These games coming forward in the wake of the Castlevania show proves that there's still lots of fans of vampires out there, and that they haven't stopped being compelling monsters.
Castlevania technically got a new mobile game in 2019, but that's hardly the same as a big-budget return to form for next-gen consoles. A return to the classic formula with next-gen enhancements could be a huge win for Konami. Beloved indie Metroidvania games like Hollow Knight, as well as the excitement around Metroid Dread, prove that there's still fans of the 2D action platforming style. If Konami wants to keep playing the nostalgia of fans, it should take that direction. Castlevania is too beloved and influential to go by the wayside forever. Since many things are conspiring in Castlevania's favor, Konami should jump on the opportunity to rise the IP rise from its coffin.
The Castlevania Advance Collection is rumored to be in development for PC and consoles.