Why Grimoire of Souls Is a Big Deal for Castlevania (And Konami)

Why Grimoire of Souls Is a Big Deal for Castlevania (And Konami)

Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls is about to gain a second life on Apple Arcade. Here’s why the game’s return is important for the franchise.

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Why Grimoire of Souls Is a Big Deal for Castlevania (And Konami)

In a surprise announcement, the mobile game Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls is confirmed to arrive exclusively on Apple Arcade, bringing the all-star jam session of Konami’s iconic franchise to new audiences. Originally released in Canada in September 2019 before being discontinued entirely one year later, the re-release of Grimoire of Souls to a wider market and larger digital platform marks a major turning point, not only for the Castlevania franchise, but also Konami’s uncertain future in the video game industry.

Prior to the initial release of Grimoire of Souls, there hadn’t been a brand-new Castlevania game released since 2014’s Lords of Shadow 2. While the game was a commercial success, it was not as successful as its 2010 predecessor and faced more mixed critical reception. Since then, the Castlevania franchise has largely been kept alive by re-releases and compilations on modern consoles, including 2019’s Castlevania Requiem and Castlevania Anniversary Collection. More than just a revival of the Castlevania video game series, Grimoire of Souls’ return also provides a potential glimpse at Konami’s gaming future.

While owning acclaimed video game franchises, including Metal Gear and Silent Hill, Konami has quietly reduced its output of new video games since 2015. Instead, the publisher shifted its focus to pachinko and slot machines, with several themed after its biggest franchises. It also has proritized mobile gaming rather than traditional console-based titles. While the decision was certainly not without controversy, Konami has continued to keep its various brands alive, most notably with 2017’s Super Bomberman R being a launch title for the Nintendo Switch.

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As fans have held out hope for a revival of franchises like Metal Gear and Silent Hill, the real clue to Konami’s gaming future came from a different video game series entirely: Contra. This past June, Konami announced it was releasing a new game in its side-scrolling shoot ’em-up series, Contra Returns, with the planned title being a mobile exclusive. Grimoire of Souls’ impending arrival on Apple Arcade seemingly has Castlevania follow Contra’s example, while underscoring Konami’s continued commitment to developing and publishing mobile titles.

While on the surface, Grimoire of Souls’ announcement may have come as a surprise a disappointment for those hoping for a brand-new console-based Castlevania game, it does signal what Konami sees as the viable future for gaming. Reports of Konami discontinuing all video game development are likely exaggerated, though its output on home consoles has significantly diminished in recent years, especially in regards to new games. However, Grimoire of Souls’ revival at least demonstrates that Konami has not completely let its fan-favorite franchises fall completely by the wayside.

Those holding out hope for Konami returning in a big way to home console gaming may have a long, indefinite wait ahead of them. Instead, Grimoire of Souls and Contra Returns spearhead a charge into mobile gaming that Konami has been hinting at for several years. However, the game offers players a chance to revisit the classic world of Castlevania in a celebration of its original history, rather than the reboot timeline depicted in the Lords of Shadows games. This hopefully hints at a wider return to form for Castlevania, no matter what platform potential future games may launch on.

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Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls is set to be released for iOS devices through Apple Arcade. No release date has currently been announced.

Link Source : https://www.cbr.com/castlevania-grimoire-souls-konami/

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