Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse marks a return to sidescrolling action for the long-running vampire-hunting series. Developed through a partnership between Konami, Evil Empire, and Motion Twin, the game brings together the company behind the original titles and two independent teams with a history of working on Dead Cells.

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse brings back sidescrolling action
The Castlevania series has had a major influence on action games, particularly the Metroidvania genre. Its combination of exploration, combat, and interconnected environments helped shape the style of many games that followed. After a long gap between new entries, Belmont’s Curse is set to continue the franchise with a new sidescrolling game.
For players, the return to a 2D format is a useful point of distinction: this is a sidescrolling entry rather than a change to a different genre or style. The Metroidvania label generally describes games built around exploration and areas that open up as players gain access to new routes or abilities. Specific mechanics and features for Belmont’s Curse have not been detailed here, so those should not be assumed.
A collaboration with Dead Cells developers
Konami is developing the game in partnership with Evil Empire and Motion Twin. Motion Twin created Dead Cells, while Evil Empire became a separate team responsible for follow-up expansions. Their work includes the 2023 Return to Castlevania DLC for Dead Cells.
The collaboration connects Castlevania’s established history with teams familiar with fast-paced action and the series’ influence on modern games. Dead Cells also drew on Castlevania’s look and gameplay ideas before its official crossover content. That background makes the partnership a notable part of the announcement, without confirming exactly how the new game will play.
What is confirmed so far
- Genre and format: Belmont’s Curse is a new sidescrolling Castlevania entry.
- Development partnership: Konami is working with Evil Empire and Motion Twin.
- Related project: Evil Empire and Motion Twin have a connection to Dead Cells and its Return to Castlevania DLC, released in 2023.
These details establish the game’s format and development partners, but they do not provide information about its release date, platforms, story, or specific features. Readers looking for those details should wait for confirmed announcements rather than relying on speculation.
Why Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse matters
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is notable because it brings the franchise back to a sidescrolling format and reunites it with developers whose work has been influenced by the series. The partnership offers a clear link between Castlevania’s legacy and the teams behind Dead Cells, while leaving the game’s individual design details to be revealed. For now, the confirmed takeaway is simple: Belmont’s Curse is a new 2D chapter in the Castlevania series.