Castlevania veteran Koji Igarashi, who started work on the series as assistant director for Symphony of the Night, has announced the delay of Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement until 2027. Originally planned for release in 2026, the game has "entered its final stages" of development.
The Bloodstained series was conceived by Igarashi's studio, ArtPlay, as a spiritual successor to the Castlevania series, and raised $5.5 million on Kickstarter in 2015. A prequel to the Kickstarter-funded Ritual of the Night, subtitled The Scarlet Engagement, was announced during a 2025 State of Play with a vague 2026 release date.