Konami will release a playable demo for Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse on October 1, giving players two weeks to try the upcoming action-exploration game before its full launch. The demo will cover the opening portion of the game, and save data created while playing it can be transferred into the full release. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse launches on October 15, 2026.
The demo is being released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. Konami says players who want to carry their progress forward will need to play the full game on the same platform and retain their demo save data. That means players can begin the opening chapter ahead of launch without having to repeat the same section once the complete version becomes available.
Belmont’s Curse is a new 2D action-exploration entry developed by Konami and Evil Empire, with Motion Twin serving in an advisory role. Set in Paris in 1499, 23 years after the events of Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, the game follows Rose Belmont, the daughter of Trevor Belmont. Rose travels through Paris and Dracula’s castle while using the Belmont family’s Vampire Killer whip alongside other weapons, equipment and supernatural abilities.
One of the game’s central systems allows Rose to seal defeated bosses inside tarot cards known as Arcana. Those cards grant spells and special actions that can be incorporated into exploration and combat, while weapons and Relics provide additional ways to customize her build. The game also expands the traditional whip mechanics with traversal abilities that allow Rose to swing through environments and use the weapon more freely during combat.
The demo announcement arrives as more details about Belmont’s Curse continue to surface ahead of release. A recently discovered Castlevania : Belmont’s Curse achievement list points to at least 13 boss encounters, three endings, numerous collectibles and a challenge tied to completing the game within four hours. Those details came from an achievement listing rather than Konami’s formal marketing, but they provide additional indications of the game’s overall scope and replay structure.
Konami has already made Belmont’s Curse playable at several public events ahead of launch. Attendees at PAX West and Tokyo Game Show 2026 have been able to try hands-on builds of the game, with the Tokyo Game Show appearance marking its first public playable demonstration in Japan. The downloadable demo significantly expands access beyond those event builds, allowing players to test the opening section on their own hardware before deciding whether to purchase the complete game.
The full version is scheduled for October 15 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam and Nintendo Switch. Konami lists the game as running at 60 frames per second on supported platforms, while the Nintendo Switch version targets 30fps. Both a Standard Edition and a Midnight Edition are planned, with the latter adding a digital sound and art gallery alongside several in-game bonuses.
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is also one of the centerpiece releases of the franchise’s 40th anniversary year. Konami has positioned the project as the beginning of a renewed period of activity for Castlevania, combining elements associated with earlier entries with a new protagonist and expanded movement systems. With the October 1 demo, players will be able to sample that approach before the complete game arrives two weeks later.
