February 12: the State of Play reveal trailer
The game was announced during Sony's State of Play on February 12, 2026. The reveal trailer introduced Paris in 1499, overrun by creatures from the shadows, and a new Belmont wielding the holy whip Vampire Killer. It also gave a brief look at an older Trevor Belmont, which immediately placed the story after Castlevania III.
Konami's PlayStation Blog post described a 2D exploration action game developed by Konami, Evil Empire and Motion Twin. The trailer showed the whip used for acrobatic movement as well as attacks, plus a sword that the post called easy to use with solid damage. It closed on a 2026 window rather than a date.
The reveal also signaled a return to classic territory. Coverage at the time pointed out that it was the first new mainline Castlevania in about twelve years and the first 2D exploration entry in many more. It arrived in the franchise's 40th anniversary year.
April 9: the gameplay and commentary trailer
Konami showed a Gameplay & Commentary Trailer during the Triple-i Initiative showcase in April 2026. It combined new footage with developer commentary focused on the blend of action and exploration. The trailer spent more time inside 1499 Paris than the reveal had.
This was the first trailer to explain the design rather than simply set the mood. It confirmed Evil Empire as developer, Motion Twin as advisory studio and Konami as publisher. It also listed PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC as the planned platforms.
Reviewers later confirmed the trailer's emphasis on movement. IGN praised movement tech that tests your reflexes, and Game Informer described combat as magnificent. The April footage was the first public hint of how central traversal would become.
June: the Xbox Games Showcase release-date trailer
The second major trailer premiered at the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2026 and confirmed the October 15 release date. It followed Rose Belmont, Trevor's daughter, through the catacombs of Paris and into Dracula's castle. New environments and bosses appeared for the first time.
The trailer also featured original artwork by illustrator and manga artist Katsuya Terada. Pre-orders opened alongside it, with the Standard Edition at $29.99 and the Midnight Edition at $39.99. Both editions included the Alucard-style costume as a pre-order bonus.
At that point Konami said the Switch version would follow later in 2026. That plan changed before launch, and the Switch release was moved to October 15 with the other platforms. Our Switch page tracks that change.
September 3: the Bloody Tears trailer
On September 3, 2026, Konami released a trailer scored with a new rendition of Bloody Tears, one of the series' most famous tracks. Nintendo Life wrote that it would give veteran fans goosebumps. The footage emphasized faster combat with more attack and traversal options than earlier entries.
The same coverage described the game as keeping the familiar exploration feel while being one of the series' most radical reinventions. It also confirmed the Switch launch on October 15 at $29.99 in the United States. For many fans, this is the trailer that best shows how the finished game moves.
The trailer's pacing matches what reviewers later reported about the full game. Critics praised the whip-driven traversal and boss fights while warning that the opening areas are demanding. If the trailer looks fast to you, expect the game to ask for quick reactions.
October: the demo and launch window
Instead of another trailer, Konami released a free demo on October 1, 2026 on every platform. It covers the opening areas and the first boss, The Fallen, and its progress carries over to the full game. For players who want to see the game in motion, the demo now shows more than any trailer.
Reviews followed on October 13, two days before launch, and the game stood at 86 on Metacritic that day. If Konami publishes a dedicated launch or accolades trailer, it is likely to quote those scores. Our reviews page collects the verdicts in the meantime.
What the trailers showed about combat and exploration
The trailers consistently put the whip at the center of both movement and combat. Rose swings across gaps, pulls herself toward enemies and strikes in the same motion. The reveal also showed a sword as an alternative weapon, hinting at the wider arsenal reviewers later described.
Konami's announcement post listed familiar series traditions that the footage backed up. Secret rooms, hidden items and breakable walls hiding health-restoring meat all appear, along with slow zombies that become dangerous in groups. Those details told longtime fans that exploration would matter as much as fighting.
The music behind the trailers
Music has been a selling point in the marketing, peaking with the Bloody Tears trailer in September. The soundtrack is composed by Daniel Asadi, and the Midnight Edition includes a Digital Sound & Art Gallery for fans who want to revisit it. The trailers mix reworked classic themes with new, moodier tracks.
Reviewers have not agreed on the result. Shacknews and RPG Site praised the soundtrack, while MonsterVine called the music the weakest part of an otherwise strong game. If the trailer music was what hooked you, the demo is the best place to hear how it holds up during play.
What the trailers revealed about the story
Across the trailers, the story setup became clear. Trevor Belmont is summoned to Paris, and his daughter Rose, who carries Dracula's curse in her right arm, joins the hunt. The curse lets her cast spells, which replaces the classic sub-weapons with tarot cards and Arcana.
The supporting cast goes well beyond the two Belmonts. Wikipedia lists voice roles for Trevor, Sypha Belnades, Dracula, Isaac, Joan of Arc, Carmilla, Medusa and Death, alongside Abby Trott as Rose. Not every one of those characters appears in the trailers, which keeps several story beats as surprises.
The trailers keep later bosses and the endings out of view. They show catacombs, burning streets and Dracula's castle, but not how those areas connect. For the confirmed background, read our story and Belmont family page.
Where to watch the official trailers
The official trailers are on Konami's YouTube channels and on the platform stores. The Steam listing and the PlayStation and Xbox store pages embed recent videos alongside screenshots. Our home page also plays an official trailer when you click it, without loading the video beforehand.
Re-uploads on unofficial channels are often cropped or compressed, and some add spoilers from the demo. Watching from Konami's channel or a store page avoids that. Trailers from showcases such as State of Play are also archived on the event broadcaster's channel.
Frequently asked questions
- When was Castlevania: Belmont's Curse revealed?
- At Sony's State of Play on February 12, 2026.
- Which trailer confirmed the release date?
- The trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2026, which also opened pre-orders.
- Which trailer uses Bloody Tears?
- The September 3, 2026 trailer, which uses a new rendition of the classic track.
Sources and research date
This article uses the material retained in the October 13, 2026 research. Official descriptions, developer statements, and hands-on observations are identified in the section references. Details are scoped to those sources and are not a claim of independently completed retail testing.
- PlayStation Blog announcement ↗
- Shacknews: Belmont's Curse announced for 2026 ↗
- RPG Site: Triple-i Initiative gameplay trailer ↗
- Gematsu: October 15 release date ↗
- Bloody Disgusting: release-date trailer ↗
- RPG Site: October 15 launch announcement ↗
- Nintendo Life: Bloody Tears trailer ↗
- Wikipedia: Castlevania: Belmont's Curse ↗
- My Nintendo News: Metacritic score report ↗
- Steam publisher-maintained store listing ↗
- VICE review roundup ↗
- Game Informer review ↗
ReleaseRelease Date
StoryStory & Belmont Family
ReleaseReviews & Metacritic
PlatformsNintendo Switch