The Triple-i Initiative Showcase took place today, and came with some major reveals and trailers for some big games coming in 2026 and beyond. Perhaps one of the most exciting of which was Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, which received a new gameplay trailer with narration from the team behind the game, and even an accompanying post-show developer interview. Between the two videos, we just learned a lot more about the return of Castlevania.
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is set in Paris during 1499, with the mighty forces of Dracula’s army causing chaos across the historic city. Players take on the role of Trevor Belmont’s female descendent, which whilst unconfirmed does strongly appear to be Sonia Belmont, previously appearing Castlevania Legends. Unlike past games in the franchise, the Belmont protagonist is travelling the entire city, from tall spires to labyrinthian catacombs – but Dracula’s iconic castle is also on its way too.
As the developers from Evil Empire shared in their interview, France was chosen as the location for Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse for its ability to create striking and contrasting aesthetics with the evils found in Castlevania. They point out how the Notre-Dame stands in direct opposition to the dark imposing castle of Dracula, whilst still blending seamlessly into the established universe of the series thanks to the prominent use of Gothic architecture in Paris.
As for how this will be shown in the gameplay, taking players beyond the confines of Dracula’s castle allowed Evil Empire to make the most of “the verticality” of Paris, with the ability to explore all levels from the streets to rooftops, both inside and outside of buildings. The mythology of France also makes an appearance in both the trailer and the interview, with a corrupted Joan of Arc being shown as a boss fight.
Konami’s own Tsutomu Taniguchi joins the conversation in the interviews, as the producer on Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. Speaking on the narrative and wider Castlevania series, Taniguchi reveals that Belmont’s Curse takes most of its inspiration from Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, which is apparent right away from their naming and it being a sequel! From a gameplay perspective though, the “genre-defining masterpiece” Symphony of the Night is credited for the “exploration-oriented design” focus present in the upcoming release.
Closing out the interview, Taniguchi says he is “beyond thrilled and ecstatic” to bring a new Castlevania game to life, despite the pressure that comes with it. It has been a long wait, but finally there’s a new, main series Castlevania game coming later this year, and fans around the world couldn’t be any happier. Dracula resurrects in Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse later this year on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Steam.
