Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse will arrive on October 15 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC, giving KONAMI’s long-running series a new entry developed by French studio Evil Empire, the team behind Dead Cells and its Return to Castlevania DLC.
The upcoming game places players in a gothic version of Paris in 1499. Trevor Belmont and his daughter Rose enter a city consumed by fire and monstrous creatures, with the Vampire Killer whip once again at the center of the action. KONAMI and Evil Empire discussed the project, its origins, and the ideas behind the new adventure in an Xbox Wire interview.
From a Tribute DLC to a Full Game
Evil Empire’s relationship with KONAMI began with Return to Castlevania, which brought the iconic franchise into Dead Cells. The studio originally pitched another downloadable tribute, but discussions with KONAMI gradually grew into a much larger project.
KONAMI producer Tsutomu Taniguchi pointed to two reasons for continuing the partnership: Evil Empire’s passion for Castlevania and its experience with action games. Those qualities mattered because the new title needed to preserve the series’ familiar controls and feel while giving the developers room to build their own vision.
Creative Director Emmanuel Nouaille described Evil Empire’s previous work as its strongest proof that it could handle the franchise. That trust also grew during development of the DLC. After Taniguchi visited the studio and played through the castle, his approving reaction to the hidden details and Easter eggs left a lasting impression on the team.
What Makes a Castlevania Game?
Before settling on the story, protagonist, or new systems, both teams worked to define the parts of Castlevania that could not be lost. Belmont’s Curse remains a 2D action-exploration game within the official canon, and the Vampire Killer stays central to both combat and movement.
Evil Empire is expanding what the whip can do. Rose can use it to attack enemies, reach distant points, swing through areas, and uncover paths that may only become accessible after gaining new abilities. The goal is to make movement feel more fluid without removing the sense of progression tied to revisiting earlier locations.
The game also aims for a faster pace, with traps, hazards, and combat encounters designed around the whip’s broader role. Rose is a new heroine in the established timeline, and her story follows the events of Dracula’s Curse and Curse of Darkness.
Rose’s Journey Through Paris
Paris gives the adventure its own identity. The game features locations inspired by Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Catacombs, and other French landmarks, while its historical references sit alongside the series’ gothic creatures and supernatural threats.
Rose will face familiar enemies and bosses such as Death, Medusa, and Carmilla. She will also encounter new foes, including Joan of Arc. Defeated bosses can be sealed into Rose’s tarot cards and turned into Arcana, allowing her to cast spells and gain special actions.
Players can shape Rose’s combat style with weapons from seven categories and Relics that activate effects through offensive or defensive actions. Equipment found during the journey can be combined to support different approaches to battles and movement.
A New Chapter for the Series
Evil Empire stressed that the preview showed only the early part of the adventure. The structure changes after Rose reaches the castle, with more characters, story details, and secrets waiting beyond the opening sections.
The project is not intended to simply repeat Symphony of the Night or another classic. Instead, KONAMI established the series’ core principles and gave Evil Empire room to add its own ideas. That balance can be seen in the Paris setting, the expanded whip mechanics, and the mix of familiar and original bosses.
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse will launch on October 15 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC. The standard edition includes the game, while the Midnight Edition adds a Digital Sound & Art Gallery and three bonus items: Trevor Style Costume, Sypha Style Costume, and the Family’s Grace Relic. Pre-orders include an Alucard Style Costume.
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