Hero image: Castlevania Anniversary Collection. Image: Konami
Castlevania is 40 years old, and Konami has decided the right way to mark it is to hand the original game back out for nothing, which I think is about the nicest thing a publisher can do for a series this old – the company’s own anniversary video says it is “releasing the original Castlevania as a free app for a limited time”, and that it hopes players “will take this opportunity to revisit the story that started it all”. According to Konami’s anniversary post, that free version is on the App Store and Google Play until 24 October 2026. There is one catch for us, though ( and it’s a small one, but it matters, ) because when I searched the Australian App Store the free app didn’t come up, so it may not have reached every region yet or it may just be slow to show in search, and I’d check your phone’s store before getting too excited about it.
The part that is definitely live here is the sale, and it’s a good one if you’ve ever meant to fill the gaps in your Castlevania library. Konami lists the Steam discounts as running from 24 September to 1 October, and on the Australian Steam store the Castlevania Anniversary Collection is down to A$5.79 from A$28.95, the Advance Collection is A$8.68 from A$28.95 and the Dominus Collection is A$18.25 from A$36.50. The Lords of Shadow games are 80% off as well, with Lords of Shadow – Ultimate Edition at A$8.59 and Lords of Shadow 2 at A$9.99, which as far as I can tell makes this the cheapest way to try the 3D side of the series that people still argue about. Konami also lists a separate PlayStation Store sale that runs longer, until 7 October, so console players aren’t left out.
Then there is the new game, which is probably the real reason Konami wants everyone playing the old ones this month. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse arrives on 15 October for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam and Nintendo Switch, and it’s A$39.95 on the Australian Steam store. Konami’s post puts the player in the role of Rose Belmont, daughter of Trevor Belmont, in Paris in 1499, which it places 23 years after the events of Castlevania III. I haven’t played it, so I won’t pretend to know whether it earns that family name, but I’d say that setting at least sounds like it was chosen by people who care where the series came from.
The honest caveat is that the extras are mostly for the dedicated. The Castlevania Black & Red music goes to streaming services today, and the orchestral concert Konami is planning is set for spring 2027 in London, Tokyo and Los Angeles, with no Australian date announced, so for most of us the anniversary comes down to a cheap sale, a free app we may or may not be able to find, and a new game next month. Konami ends its video by saying it has “much more in store for the series”, so I’d keep an eye out between now and October.
Source: Konami – 40 Years of Castlevania, Konami on YouTube – Castlevania 40th Anniversary Celebration, Steam – Castlevania Anniversary Collection, Steam – Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse