‘Castlevania’ Spiritual Successor ‘Bloodstained’ Coming To Nintendo Switch
Koji Igarashi, the mind behind Castlevania, is bringing his crowd-backed spiritual successor to the Switch! This development comes on the heels of the announce that the Wii U version has been canned.
The next game by Castlevania mastermind Koji Igarashi is coming to the Nintendo Switch. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was pitched on Kickstarter in 2015 as a spiritual successor to the beloved gothic adventure series. With Igarashi at the helm and the promise of new, updated ‘Metroidvania’ gameplay — a style that fuses side-scroller platforming with deep exploration and RPG mechanics — the project raised more than $5.5 million from 64,867 backers. The updated platform support does come with a downside, however — the Wii U version is being cancelled.
In a backer update, the team said the launch of the Switch had made it “difficult to receive the necessary support” from Nintendo for the Wii U version. “We are very sorry that it has come to this after all your support, but we hope you will understand,” the post reads. Backers who had selected the Wii U as their preferred platform will now receive the Switch version automatically. It will be possible, however, to request a PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One or Vita copy instead, using the team’s backer survey tool. Supporters can also get a full refund, should they prefer.
The Switch release is good news for Nintendo. The company needs a steady flow of games to keep owners and prospective buyers interested in the platform. Nintendo’s first-party exclusives will always be the main draw, but the company could use some third-party software to fill the gaps in between. The Switch is underpowered compared to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, so support will likely come from smaller indie releases. Games like WarGroove, Stardew Valley and Overcooked, as well as Yooka-Laylee, which also ditched the Wii U in favor of Nintendo’s new console.
If you’re a Castlevania fan, however, you might have to wait a while for Bloodstained. The game was delayed last September from a planned March 2017 release to the first half of 2018. “The last thing I want to do is keep our backers waiting,” Igarashi said at the time, “but after receiving such incredible support, I feel responsible for delivering the best product I possibly can. Again, I offer my sincerest apologies.” For Switch owners, then, it’s one to put in the diary and forget. Still, it’s good to know that Nintendo’s new hardware will have support beyond its first year.