The Dead Cells Developers Are Making a New Castlevania

This might be the most natural partnership in gaming. Konami just announced Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse at the February 12 PlayStation State of Play, and the developers building it are the teams behind Dead Cells. Evil Empire is leading development alongside Konami, with Motion Twin in an advisory role. The game launches later this year on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.

If you have played Dead Cells, you already understand why this works. Motion Twin and Evil Empire spent years perfecting fast, fluid 2D combat with responsive controls and a combat system that rewards precision. Castlevania invented the genre that Dead Cells refined. Putting these developers on a new Castlevania is not just a good idea. It feels inevitable.

What We Know

Belmont’s Curse is set in 1499 Paris, 23 years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse (the 1989 NES classic). You play as Trevor Belmont’s successor, a young, blonde Belmont heir who wields the legendary Vampire Killer whip. The city is under siege. Monstrous creatures are pouring from the shadows, streets are burning, and a looming castle threatens to doom Paris to eternal darkness.

The gameplay trailer shows a 2D side-scrolling metroidvania with a bold, cel-shaded art style. It is not pixel art and it is not trying to imitate the older games visually. The look is modern, vibrant, and distinctly its own while keeping the gothic atmosphere the series is known for.

Combat and Exploration

The Vampire Killer is more than a weapon. The trailer shows the protagonist using the whip as a grapple to swing across rooftops, chain movement into combat, and traverse the environment with a fluidity that clearly draws from Dead Cells’ movement philosophy.

Combat extends beyond the whip. Konami confirmed additional weapons, including a sword shown in the trailer for close-range encounters. More weapons and abilities will be revealed before launch. Expect the build variety that Dead Cells is famous for.

Exploration follows the classic metroidvania template: secret chambers, hidden items, breakable walls concealing classic meat pickups. If you have spent time hunting for secrets in Hollow Knight or Emberbane, you know the loop. Belmont’s Curse appears to be building on Symphony of the Night’s structure with a relatively open map and a focus on backtracking with new abilities.

Why This Matters for Indie Fans

The partnership between Konami and indie studios is significant. Evil Empire started as the studio that took over Dead Cells’ post-launch development when Motion Twin moved on to new projects. Both teams built their reputation on tight, responsive 2D action. Handing them a Castlevania game is Konami acknowledging that the best people to revive its classic franchise came from the indie scene.

This is also happening during Castlevania’s 40th anniversary. Konami teased that Belmont’s Curse is “just the beginning,” hinting at multiple Castlevania projects in development. The franchise that inspired an entire genre of indie games is now being rebuilt by the developers those games produced.

For fans of the metroidvania genre, this is a landmark moment. The line between indie and AAA continues to blur, and Belmont’s Curse is proof that the best indie talent can graduate to the biggest franchises without losing what made their work special.

Where to Wishlist

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam) in 2026. No exact release date yet. A limited-time PS5 demo is available now through February 27, with progress carrying over to the full game. The demo covers the opening stage and first boss.

Add it to your Steam wishlist now. This one is going to be worth watching closely.