Castlevania turns 40: Konami video, 3D rumors and free mobile release

According to reports, the video includes footage and cover art from Lament of Innocence, Curse of Darkness, and Lords of Shadow, sparking speculation about a 3D collection.
At the same time, Konami is temporarily giving away the original Castlevania as a mobile app under the name Castlevania: 40th Anniversary, which can be played offline after installation.

What happened

Konami has published an anniversary video celebrating 40 years of Castlevania. The video looks back on the series, which began in Japan with Akumajō Dracula on the Famicom Disk System, with the original release date set at September 26, 1986. In the description and accompanying communication, the original game is explicitly presented as the starting point of the franchise.

According to reports, the video also includes footage and cover art from the series’ 3D era, including Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness, and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. That has led to online speculation that Konami may be teasing a new 3D collection, but the company has not confirmed anything itself. Officially, the video is presented as an anniversary retrospective, not as an announcement of a new bundle.

Alongside the video, Konami has also made a temporary mobile release of the original Castlevania available. That version is called Castlevania: 40th Anniversary and is being offered for free on iOS and Android, according to the source. After installation, the game can be played offline; the promotion runs from September 25 to October 24, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. JST.

Konami has previously released Castlevania compilations, including the Castlevania Anniversary Collection in 2019 and the Castlevania: Dominus Collection. That history makes a new bundle plausible, but based on the current information, only the anniversary video and the temporary mobile promotion have been confirmed.

Timeline

1986-09-26: Akumajō Dracula launches on the Famicom Disk System in Japan; this is considered the start of Castlevania.
2019: Konami releases the Castlevania Anniversary Collection with eight games.
Later: Konami launches the Castlevania: Dominus Collection with three DS-era titles.
2026-09-25: Konami starts the free mobile promotion for Castlevania: 40th Anniversary.
2026-09-26: Castlevania officially turns 40 years old since the Japanese release of the first game.
2026-10-24T23:59:00 JST: the free mobile promotion ends, according to the source.

Background

Castlevania is one of Konami’s longest-running franchises and includes both 2D and 3D entries. In coverage of the anniversary video, three 3D titles are mentioned in particular: Lament of Innocence, Curse of Darkness, and Lords of Shadow. The presence of that cover art is the basis for speculation about a possible new collection, but Konami has not announced a title, platform, or release date.

For now, the official anniversary celebration consists of two concrete parts: the retrospective video and the temporary free mobile version of the first game. The source also explicitly notes that the mobile version is playable offline after installation. No clear confirmation was provided in the supplied sources regarding regional availability for the offer.