Castlevania turns 40: Konami gives away original game and dates new adventure
Konami is giving away the game that started Castlevania to mark 40 years of vampire hunting.
The original Castlevania, first released on the NES in 1986, is free to download on the App Store and Google Play until 24 October 2026, according to details reported by Eurogamer. The series turns 40 on 26 September 2026. Konami lists the free mobile window as 25 September 2026 through 24 October at 23:59 JST.
The 1986 game introduced Simon Belmont, a vampire hunter armed with a whip, and his fight against Dracula. It set the template for a series built around the Belmont family and the castle that returns with its master.
The giveaway sits alongside a new release. Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is slated to release on 15 October for Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Konami describes it as a 2D action-exploration game — a side-view adventure focused on exploring connected areas — built around the growth of Rose Belmont, with faster and more fluid movement.
Rose is the daughter of Trevor Belmont from Castlevania 3. The story is set in 1499 and takes her through Paris and Dracula's castle with the Vampire Killer whip.
Players will get an early try. A demo arrives on 1 October for Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. It covers the entire first chapter, with progress carrying over to the full release on 15 October. The game targets 60 frames per second — a measure of how smoothly motion appears on screen — on all platforms except Switch, which runs at 30 frames per second.
There are also discounts on older collections. On the PlayStation Store, the Anniversary Collection is 80% off until 7 October, the Dominus Collection is 50% off, and the Advance Collection and the Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood bundle are both 70% off. On Steam from 24 September to 1 October, the Anniversary Collection is 80% off, the Dominus Collection is 50% off and the Advance Collection is 70% off.
The same Steam sale cuts 80% off the Lords of Shadow games, including the Ultimate Edition, the Lords of Shadow 2 digital bundle and its Revelations DLC, and Mirror of Fate HD.
For fans, this means a low-cost way in before the new game lands. Play the free original, try the first chapter on 1 October, then decide on 15 October.
Konami also plans a 40th anniversary orchestral concert for spring 2027 in London, Tokyo and Los Angeles, and has opened an official series account on X.
