The 35th anniversary of the Castlevania franchise is almost here and fans are wondering if a new game will finally be announced, or if the Belmont clan will continue to be ignored by Konami. Castlevania debuted on the Nintendo Entertainment System and it went on to become one of the most influential series in video game history, mostly due to how Symphony of the Night helped create the Metroidvania genre on the original PlayStation.
The Castlevania series started out as a series of platformers, set in a gothic horror world that was populated with monsters that were straight out of Hammer Horror and the Universal movies. The series follows the Belmont clan and their allies. The Belmont clan are vampire hunters, who wield a whip that has the power to smite evil beings. Castlevania involves Dracula's castle appearing in the world, prompting the latest Belmont heir to lay siege to its walls and destroy the undead lord in his own chambers.
2021 has a number of video game anniversaries and Castlevania is among the oldest, as it's celebrating its 35th birthday in 2021. The 35th anniversary of the Castlevania series will take place on September 26, 2021. The series has received a lot of attention over the past few years, from Simon and Richter joining Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, to the popular animated Castlevania Netflix show running for four seasons. This attention has come from outside of Konami, however, and it remains to be seen whether the company will acknowledge Castlevania's anniversary.
How Konami Could Celebrate Castlevania's 35th Anniversary
Konami's slow withdrawal from the video game industry has been well documented and the Castlevania series appears to have been left behind. The last new mainline entry in the series was Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, which was released back in 2014. The only thing Konami has been interested in is porting the old Castlevania games to modern systems. A number of Castlevania games were ported to PC in 2020, while Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night were released on PS4 as Castlevania Requiem in 2018.
There is one announcement that fans could expect, based on rating board information. A game called Castlevania Advance Collection has been rated several times. This suggests that Aria of Sorrow, Circle of Moon, and Harmony of Dissonance are being ported to modern systems. It's not a new mainline entry in the series, but it's still three of the best Castlevania games in one package, so it would at least be something for the Belmont clan's birthday.
The 35th anniversary of the Castlevania series will take place on September 26, 2021.